Minerals industries are a major global activity with significant sustainability implications. Aspects of sustainability in mining are examined using three case studies. These illustrate the contribution of human factors/ergonomics in reducing risks; developing emergency response management systems; and the value of participatory ergonomics in improving the design of mining equipment.

Abstract:Mining is a complex and hazardous work domain. This paper presents three related research studies in mining emergency management, highlighting the contribution that human factors and ergonomics are making to this field. The first study investigates the challenges associated with the collection and management of information during underground coal mining emergencies from a human-centred perspective. The second and third case studies build on the first study: the second one focuses on decision making deficiencies in incident management teams and the final one examines organisational issues related to mining control rooms during emergencies. In each of these three research studies, the broad problem is first defined, then the work undertaken and results produced are described, and finally the implications and future work are presented. Following this, the human factors contributions to help create safe and efficient mining emergency management systems are discussed.Keywords: mining; minerals industry; human factors; ergonomics; emergency management; control rooms; stress; decision making; incident management.Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Horberry, T., Xiao, T., Fuller, R. and Cliff, D. (2013) 'The role of human factors and ergonomics in mining emergency management: three case studies', Int.

A serious incident in an underground coal mine can claim many lives in an instant. The lives of those who survive the initial moments can be dependent on the decisions made by the incident management team (IMT). The IMT is a team of mine employees assembled immediately upon the discovery of an incident to manage the response. Evaluations of annual emergency exercises conducted at underground coal-mines in Queensland have indicated that IMT decision-making is generally sub-optimal. This finding was echoed by the Royal Commission into the New Zealand Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy that occurred in 2010. In many other high-reliability roles technical and non-technical issues have been found to impact decision-making. The goal of this research is to explore the role of non-technical issues in emergency decision-making following an underground coal mining incident. A review of the Queensland emergency exercise reports, direct observation of emergency simulations, and interviews with twenty-five mining personnel with real-life incident management experience at underground coal mine emergencies has led to the development of a non-technical skills taxonomy for decision-making in mining IMTs. The decision-making process in a mining IMT has been shown to be a broad socio-psycho-technical process within which technical and non-technical issues cannot be separated. Technical, social and cognitive skills are imperative to maintain adequate communication, situation awareness and optimal decision-making throughout the emergency management process. Declaration by authorThis thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis.I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional editorial advice, and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The content of my thesis is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of my research higher degree candidature and does not include a substantial part of work that has been submitted to qualify for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution. I have clearly stated which parts of my thesis, if any, have been submitted to qualify for another award.I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University Library and, subject to the General Award Rules of The University of Queensland, immediately made available for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968.I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis. Publications d...