An opal miner who was found deceased at the base of a 20 metre opal mine shaft may have died as a result of a malfunction or misjudgement related to the hoist he was using.

A report prepared by the NSW Resources Regulator has flagged that machine safety is the primary focus of investigations.

The miner was seen leaving Lightning Ridge to attend his opal claim at about 6.30 pm on Friday 28 April 2023. His mineral claim in an area known as ‘Emu’s’ within the Coocoran opal fields located about 30 kilometres north of Lightning Ridge NSW. The miner was known to work the claim alone. 

 Friends of the miner attended his claim about 5.30 pm because they had not heard from him for several hours and were concerned for his welfare. The miner was later found deceased near the base of the shaft.

In a statement, the NSW Resources Regulator said “An examination of the scene found the person riding hoist and pendant control at the bottom of the shaft with the steel cable fully unspooled from the hoist’s drum. The hoist’s emergency arresting (lockout) device did not appear to have engaged. The hoist was operated by a Conon single phase 2 HP motor and worm drive gearbox”. 

The NSW Resources Regulator said it had commenced an investigation “to determine the cause and circumstances of the incident that will explore, among other things the:  

• operation and mechanical condition of the person riding hoist, including the motor and gearbox  
• adequacy of maintenance, testing and inspection practices for the equipment  
• person riding hoist braking system(s) including emergency arresting (lockout) device  
• method and adequacy of the hoist power supply  
• work practices of the miner.  

The investigation will consider whether any mechanical or electrical malfunction contributed to the incident. A report will be prepared for the Coroner”. 

Image: Lightning Ridge Miners Association. 

The Regulator also issued a safety warning with its investigation information report saying that mine operators “using person riding hoists must ensure they consider risks associated with winder systems and implement measures to prevent mechanical and/or electrical failures”.  

It further warned that “ All hoists must have two braking systems – a brake and an emergency arrestor. Person riding hoists should be regularly tested and systems maintained to ensure they are operating correctly”.