7.1.2. Trained Competent People

Competence must be in place at two broad levels – workers and supervisors must be trained in their reactions to a crisis and management must be competent in switching from the normal day-to-day mining operation to a command and control style of tactical emergency response.

Workers and direct supervisors must be trained in fire fighting, first aid and CPR at a response level; but also in the use of breathing apparatus, escape routes and markings, refuge or changeover stations, plan reading, communication techniques and protection techniques such as entrapment procedures.

Management must be trained and competent in the crisis or emergency management system for the mine, but more importantly in the general conduct of emergency management. There are a number of techniques that are in use in professional emergency management organisations. These should be adapted to the mining industry. The most effective system comes from the Fire Service and is called Incident Command System globally or in Australia Australian Inter-service Incident Management System (AIIMS) http://www.fire.qld.gov.au/training/courses/documents/
Australian_Interservice_Incident_Management_System_AIIMS.pdf and http://www.fire.qld.gov.au/training/courses/aiims.asp.