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Mineral Mines & Quarries Inspectorate | Bulletin | No.200 V 1 | 17 February 2022

Safe use of portable generators

What happened?

Incorrect use of portable generators caused by unsafe installation and operating practices have caused several high potential incidents in Queensland mines and quarries recently. These have included exploding batteries, fires and electric shocks.

How did it happen?

High starting currents in batteries have caused explosions. Electrical faults and leaking fuel or engine oil contacting hot exhaust components have caused fires. Damaged and burnt extension leads and fittings have caused electric shocks.

Key issues

Recommendations

The Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2017 requires that earth leakage protection is provided for each electrical circuit exceeding extra-low voltage (ELV) that has an outlet for, or supplies, electricity to a trailing cable or flexible lead. This requirement excludes the use of portable generators without residual current device (RCD) protection from being used as a power source for portable power tools and appliances in Queensland mines and quarries, unless the circuit is isolated from earth. A multiple earth neutral (MEN) link must be installed upstream of the RCD for the earth fault protection to be effective.

Additional safety measures are required to reduce the risk of simultaneous earth faults on isolated winding generators in heavy industrial and mining environments. Damage to electrical equipment and tools is likely to occur in these work environments.

Isolated winding generating sets with more than one outlet can be used, provided each generator does not supply more than one item of Class I (earthed conductive parts) electrical equipment at a time.

RCD protected generators with multiple socket outlets, with 30mA RCD protection, may be used to supply multiple items of equipment.

Note

Authorised by Trevor Brown - Deputy Chief Inspector – Mineral Mines & Quarries

Contact: Graeme Trevorrow, Inspector of Mines , +61 7 3199 8001

Issued by Resources Safety & Health Queensland

Safety: This information is issued to promote safety through experience. It is not to be taken as a statement of law and must not be construed to waive or modify any legal obligation.
Placement: Place this announcement on noticeboards and ensure all relevant people in your organisation receive a copy, understand the content, findings and recommendations as applicable to their operation. SSEs should validate that recommendations have been implemented.

All information on this page (Safe use of portable generators - https://www.rshq.qld.gov.au/safety-notices/mines/safe-use-of-portable-generators) is correct as of time of printing (Mar 29, 2024 8:45 pm).