Mine safety officer

Mine safety officers oversee health and safety systems at mining operations. They report workplace accidents, compile accident statistics, estimate risks to employee safety and health, and suggest solutions or new measurements and techniques.

Mine safety officers typically do the following:

• Promote occupational health and safety, and develop safer and healthier ways of working through developing policies, procedures and systems
• Ensure compliance with all health and safety legislation in relation to equipment and workplace activities
• Investigate accidents and unsafe working conditions, study possible causes and recommend remedial actions
• Develop and implement training modules on health and safety practices and legislation
• Support a company’s emergency preparedness through developing and coordinating emergency procedures, mine rescue teams, fire fighting and first aid crews
• Communicate frequently with management to report on the status of the health and safety strategy and risk management strategy.

The following job titles also refer to mine safety officer:

health and safety manager
mine safety inspector
mine safety expert
safety officer
health and safety officer
mines inspector
safety manager
mine inspector
mining inspector
mine safety manager

A high school diploma or equivalent is generally the minimum required to work as a mine safety officer. Specific certifications related to safety in a mining environment are often compulsory.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Mine safety officer is a Skill level 3 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to mine safety officer.

mine shift manager
desalination technician
gas processing plant control room operator
oil refinery control room operator
refinery shift manager

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of mine safety officer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of mine safety officer with significant experience and/or extensive training.

mine health and safety engineer
mine ventilation engineer
mine mechanical engineer
explosives engineer
mineral processing engineer

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of mine safety officer.

• Impact of geological factors on mining operations: Be aware of the impact of geological factors, such as faults and rock movements, on mining operations.
• Mine safety legislation: The laws, regulations and codes of practice relevant to safety in mining operations.

These skills are necessary for the role of mine safety officer.

• Ensure compliance with safety legislation: Implement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. Ensure that equipment and processes are compliant with safety regulations.
• Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
• Maintain records of mining operations: Maintain records of mine production and development performance, including performance of machinery.
• Investigate mine accidents: Conduct investigation of mining accidents; identify unsafe working conditions and develop measures for improvement.
• Manage emergency procedures: React quickly in case of emergency and set planned emergency procedures in motion.
• Train employees in mine safety: Organise mine safety training sessions for workers, supervisors and management.
• Deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances: Strive to achieve objectives despite the pressures arising from unexpected factors outside of your control.
• Conduct drug abuse tests: Conduct alcohol and drug tests according to government and company policies and procedures. Conducts random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident testing using basic equipment.
• Address problems critically: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.
• Inspect mine safety conditions: Inspect mining areas to ensure safe working conditions and equipment.
• Assist employee health programmes: Support and provide assistance to health and safety engineer and medical staff in implementing employee health programmes.
• Assist blood sample collection: Cooperate with medical team in blood sample collection.
• Conduct inter-shift communication: Communicate relevant information about the conditions in the workplace, progress, events, and potential problems to the workers in the next shift.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of mine safety officer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Health and safety hazards underground: The rules and risks affecting health and safety when working underground.
• Electricity: Understand the principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.
• Chemistry: The composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk factors, and disposal methods.
• Mechanics: Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.

3117 – Mining and metallurgical technicians

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References

1. Mine safety officer – ESCO
2. Mining health and safety – AUSIMM
3. Featured image: Photo by I Love Pixel from Pexels