NSW Resources Regulator investigating runaway dozer at Whitehaven Coal's Maules Creek Coal Mine

The runaway dozer was unoccupied at the time and travelled out-of-control for 230m in the mine between Gunnedah and Boggabri, the NSW Resources Regulator has confirmed.

The incident - which the watchdog has now launched an investigation into - occurred on January 15 at the Maules Creek Coal Mine - a subsidiary of Whitehaven Coal.

According to the regulator, the dozer was "inoperable and unoccupied" at the time and was being towed by a second dozer down a mine ramp to a maintenance area in the mine pit.

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As part of the preliminary investigators, the regulator said three different contract companies were involved in the recovery of the Caterpillar dozer on the day in question.

Workers had planned to use a float to move the dozer but "it was later identified to be unsuitable for the task and was not used".

Investigators have been told an excavator was being used as as brake stop when a recovery sling "failed and another disconnected".

"This resulted in the unoccupied dozer travelling uncontrolled down the ramp for 230m before coming to a stop on a windrow. No workers were injured," preliminary investigations have found.

The preliminary investigation has determined no supervisor was present in the area at the time of the incident, about 3pm.

The resources regulator said shortly after the towing began part of one of the slings broke away. The dozer's attachment then slipped off, "resulting in the unrestrained D10 dozer rolling down the ramp in an uncontrolled manner for about 230m before coming to a stop on a windrow".

Investigators said the plan to move to the dozer had changed since the initial job hazard assessment was carried out.

The regulator said an investigation was under way to determine the cause and circumstances of the incident.

It would cover the work systems in place; the selection and use of plant and towing equipment; the "instruction, training and supervision of the workers involved"; as well as the "adequacy of risk assessments, work instructions and procedures relevant to the incident including the management of change".

"The mine operator and contractors are co-operating with the investigation. A report will be published when the investigation is concluded," the regulator said.

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