![The NSW Resources Regulator has launched an investigation into the gas incident at Narrabri coal mine. Picture from file The NSW Resources Regulator has launched an investigation into the gas incident at Narrabri coal mine. Picture from file](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/3FRrb3AuBjKJGNhBeTSDxy/95589c70-6b6b-45f9-9a11-05fa4358c93c.jpg/r0_7_790_453_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The state's mine safety watchdog has launched an investigation after a mine worker was exposed to dangerous levels of gases while on shift underground.
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The incident occurred at Narrabri Mine, which is run by Narrabri Coal Operations, and majority owned by Whitehaven Coal.
The NSW Resources Regulator has launched a formal investigation after a load haul dumper operator drove into an unventilated section of the underground mine, where methane and carbon gas had accumulated during his night shift.
The worker was not injured but investigators said the levels of the gases present when the operator entered "created a significant risk of methane ignition, or of the worker being overcome in the oxygen-depleted atmosphere".
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The incident occurred in the underground roadway longwall about 10pm after the operator drove about 70 metres along a roadway before the loader automatically shut down after detecting methane gas concentration.
His personal gas monitor's alarm was also activated for exceedance of methane and carbon dioxide levels, and he got out of the vehicle to "to improve the roadway's ventilation by reinstating the double brattice stoppings". Brattices are partitions used in mining to help direct air for ventilation.
He then notified the mine's control room before the area was eventually degassed.
The NSW Resources Regulator confirmed initial investigations showed that in the lead up to the incident "there were previous ventilation issues at the install face that were not properly investigated by the mine".
"Including a build-up of methane gas that had not previously been a commonly encountered issue; an incident involving the installation of a brattice stopping that restricted the ventilation of the install face and bleeder roadways," the regulator said in its incident report.
The regulators said the investigation would get to the bottom of the cause and circumstances surrounding the incident, but it would also examine the min's systems of work and management of ventilation; as well as the instruction and supervision of workers involved and the risk assessments and procedures related to the incident.
"The mine operator and involved contractors are assisting with the investigation," the report stated.
The regulator said a report will be published when the investigation is finished.
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