Alert no. 485 | 14 September 2026 | Version 1

Serious accident involving a pressurised compressed-air system and mobile equipment

What happened?

• A worker sustained serious injuries during maintenance work on a compressed air line following an uncontrolled release of compressed air and subsequent vehicle movement at an underground coal mine.
• The precise sequence of events and circumstances surrounding the incident remain subject to investigation and verification.
• Initial advice to industry is outlined below.

How did it happen?

• On 12 September 2026, a worker at an underground coal mine sustained serious injuries while undertaking work on a pressurised compressed air pipeline system.
• Preliminary information indicates the injured worker was standing on the front bumper bar of a drift runner to access the pipework.
• While tightening the clamp, the pressurised clamp and pipe assembly reportedly failed, releasing compressed air and creating significant dust and reduced visibility.
• The worker subsequently fell from the front of the drift runner.
• For reasons yet to be determined the operator of the drift runner moved the vehicle and subsequently made contact with the fallen worker, resulting in serious injuries.
• While the circumstances of the incident remain under investigation, preliminary advice to industry is outlined below.
• Coal mine operators should verify that effective controls are in place for work involving pressurised systems, stored energy, and mobile equipment. Workers should identify hazards, assess risks, and verify controls remain effective before commencing work and whenever conditions change.

Recommendations

Coal mine operators should consider the following actions:

• Confirm critical controls for stored-energy hazards and worker-mobile equipment interactions are implemented, understood, and routinely verified as effective
• Verify that hazards associated with pressurised systems and stored-energy sources are identified, assessed, and controlled before work commences, including:
  • reviewing requirements for isolating and depressurising systems before undertaking repair, maintenance, adjustment, or fault-finding activities.
  • ensuring workers undertaking tasks on pressurised systems are not positioned where an unplanned release of energy could expose them to additional hazards.
  • establishing and maintaining exclusion zones where personnel may be exposed to the release of stored energy, flying components, debris, or reduced visibility.
  • effectively managing abnormal conditions, including leaking pipework, damaged components, and defective fittings, in accordance with site procedures and risk controls.
• Review controls for interactions between workers and mobile plant, particularly where maintenance, inspection or fault-finding activities are undertaken near mobile equipment.
• Ensure maintenance and repair activities are undertaken using appropriate equipment, tools, and access arrangements, including:
  • using suitable work platforms or access arrangements, and not using mobile equipment as a work platform unless specifically designed and authorised for that purpose
  • ensuring tools and equipment are fit for purpose, suitable for the specific task being undertaken and consistent with site procedures and risk controls.
• Ensure workers apply task-based risk management processes and reassess hazards where conditions change or unexpected circumstances arise.

References and further information

• Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999.
• Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017.