Leading fire protection equipment specialist Wormald delivered fire safety awareness training to the staff at Xstrata Coal NSW’s Glendell Mine.
An open cut coal mine, the Glendell project adjoins the Ravensworth East and Mount Owen mines, which produce up to 4.6 million tonnes of coal per year.
Mining operations are not only hazardous but also take place in remote areas, increasing the need for the staff to be extra vigilant in preventing and preparing for fires. Workers at all levels within mining organisations need to maintain high skill levels in their emergency response capabilities to fires.
Mining personnel who attended the fire awareness training were instructed on the correct procedures to be followed upon fire discovery, identifying different types of fire equipment on the site, using the fire equipment correctly as well as determining the class of fire and selecting the correct equipment for the particular class.
Bernie Pilgrim, Newcastle Training Manager with Wormald, who regularly conducts the fire safety training sessions, explains that training is a critical element of fire safety planning and is particularly important in high risk industries such as mining.
A critical part of ensuring the right staff response in the event of a fire, training helps organisations develop effective plans and procedures while enabling the staff to be completely confident in managing an emergency situation.
The fire awareness training conducted at Xstrata Coal included a combination of theory, practical and assessment so that the staff could receive hands-on training.
Wormald offers a range of fire safety training courses suitable for the mining industry including Confined Space Entry Training, Breathing Apparatus (BA) Training, Fire Extinguisher Training, First Aid, Spill Response Training, General Staff Emergency Awareness Training, Lay Flat Hose Training and Fire Safety Adviser Training (for QLD).
