Underground loaders on fire

Over the last year, there have been five fires involving the high-speed (drive shaft) bearings on underground loaders at multiple Queensland metalliferous mines. These hazardous incidents have

Over the last year, there have been five fires involving the high-speed (drive shaft) bearings on underground loaders at multiple Queensland metalliferous mines.

These hazardous incidents have occurred across different mines, with some mines experiencing multiple fires.

All of the reported equipment fires have had the potential to cause significant adverse effects to the safety and health of workers.

Fortunately, there have been no fatalities.

One of the fires could not be extinguished, causing a mine evacuation and shutdown for several days and the total loss of the machine.

Queensland’s Mineral Mines & Quarries Inspectorate indicates that a common cause of the incidents was found to be the overheating of the high-speed (drive shaft) bearing of the loader.

The Inspectorate has identified several key issues that were common contributing factors in the incidents:

The inspectorate has made several recommendations that mines should follow including:

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Underground loaders on fire