First Aid Requirements for Underground Mining in Australia

Underground mining presents a different first aid challenge to surface work. Workers may be a significant distance from the portal, difficult to reach quickly and reliant on site communication and emergency systems before professional medical care can take over. That means underground first aid planning needs to consider not only what is in the kit, but where equipment is located, who is trained, how help is raised and how an injured worker can be reached and evacuated.

Why Underground Mining Needs Specific First Aid Planning

Australian workplace first aid duties are based on the risks and circumstances of the workplace.

Safe Work Australia's guidance says businesses should consider the hazards, size and location of the workplace when deciding what first aid equipment, facilities and trained first aiders are required.

Those factors are particularly important underground.

Workers may be spread across multiple levels, headings or work areas, and access to the surface may take significantly longer than it would in a conventional workplace.

For the broader mining requirements, see our First Aid Kit Requirements for Mining Sites in Australia guide.

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What Does Australian WHS Guidance Require?

Under the model WHS framework, workplaces must provide access to first aid equipment, first aid facilities and trained first aiders.

Workers must be able to access those arrangements at all times, including night shifts, overtime and when working away from the usual workplace.

Safe Work Australia's guidance also makes it clear that first aid arrangements should be based on a risk assessment rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

That assessment should consider:

• The hazards associated with the work
• The number of workers
• The size and layout of the workplace
• The location of workers
• Distance from professional medical assistance
• How quickly first aid can reach an injured worker

Mining operators should also check the specific mining safety legislation and regulator requirements applying in their state or territory, because underground mining obligations can vary between jurisdictions.

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Underground Access Changes the First Aid Response

In many workplaces, a first aider may only need to walk down a corridor or across a workshop.

Underground mining can be very different.

The injured worker may be located kilometres from the surface, on another level or in an area that takes time to access safely.

This means the site's first aid system should consider the practical response time from:

• The nearest trained first aider
• The nearest suitable first aid equipment
• Underground emergency response personnel
• The portal or shaft
• The site's medical or first aid facilities
• External emergency services

The location of the kit is therefore just as important as the contents inside it.

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How Many First Aiders Does an Underground Mine Need?

There is no single first-aider number that should be applied automatically to every underground mine in Australia.

Safe Work Australia's general guidance recommends one first aider for every:

• 50 workers in low-risk workplaces
• 25 workers in high-risk workplaces
• 10 workers in remote high-risk workplaces, with a mine given as an example

These figures are guidance rather than a universal statutory ratio applying identically to every mining operation.

Underground mines also need to consider whether trained first aiders are actually distributed across shifts and work areas.

For example, a site should consider:

• Day and night shift coverage
• Separate underground crews
• Different mining levels or work areas
• Maintenance crews
• Contractors
• Leave and roster changes
• How long it would take a first aider to reach an incident

Having enough trained people on the overall roster is not the same as having effective first aid coverage underground.

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Where Should First Aid Equipment Be Located Underground?

A large underground operation may need first aid equipment in more than one location.

Safe Work Australia's model guidance says additional kits may be appropriate where workers are spread across a large workplace, access is difficult or work occurs a long distance from emergency services.

Depending on the site's risk assessment, underground first aid equipment may need to be considered in locations such as:

• Underground crib rooms
• Workshops and maintenance areas
• Major work fronts
• Underground refuge or emergency areas
• Mobile crews working significant distances from fixed facilities
• Vehicles used as part of underground work

The right answer will vary from site to site.

The goal is to make sure first aid equipment can be reached quickly rather than relying on a single central kit that may be a long distance from the incident.

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What Should an Underground Mining First Aid Kit Contain?

There is no single universal underground mining first aid kit contents list that applies across Australia.

The equipment provided should reflect the injuries and illnesses that could reasonably occur at the operation.

Safe Work Australia's model guidance includes equipment for common workplace injuries such as:

• Cuts and grazes
• Puncture wounds
• Serious bleeding
• Burns
• Eye injuries
• Sprains and strains
• Fractures
• Amputations
• Shock

An underground mine may require additional supplies based on its specific hazards, emergency procedures and expected time before advanced medical treatment can be provided.

The contents should come from the site's risk assessment, not from assuming every underground operation faces exactly the same risks.

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Emergency Communication Is Critical Underground

A first aid response cannot begin until someone knows an incident has occurred.

Underground workers may not have access to conventional mobile phone coverage, which makes site communication systems an important part of emergency planning.

Safe Work Australia requires businesses to ensure remote and isolated workers have a way to access emergency assistance and to prepare an emergency plan.

Depending on the operation, underground communication arrangements may include:

• Mine radio systems
• Underground phones
• Emergency communication points
• Tracking or personnel location systems
• Site-specific alarm systems

Workers should know how to raise an emergency, what information to provide and who takes control of the response.

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Emergency Plans Need to Account for Underground Rescue

Safe Work Australia specifically identifies mines as higher-risk workplaces that may require more detailed emergency planning.

An underground emergency plan should account for how an injured worker can be safely reached, treated and transferred to further medical care.

Depending on the site and incident, the response may need to consider:

• Access to the casualty
• Communication with surface personnel
• Underground rescue arrangements
• Safe transport of the casualty
• Access through declines, shafts or other mine infrastructure
• Transfer to site medical facilities
• External ambulance or aeromedical support

These procedures should be planned and tested before an emergency occurs.

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First Aid Training May Need to Go Beyond the Basics

Safe Work Australia says additional first aid training may be appropriate where work is remote or isolated, where dangerous substances are present or where specialist first aid equipment is used.

That can be particularly relevant in mining.

Depending on the site's risk assessment, some first aiders or emergency response personnel may need additional training that reflects:

• Remote response conditions
• Major trauma
• Hazardous substances used at the operation
• Specialist first aid equipment
• Site emergency procedures

Not every worker necessarily needs the same level of training. The training arrangement should reflect the site's hazards and emergency response structure.

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Don't Forget Mobile Underground Crews

Underground workers may spend long periods away from fixed crib rooms or workshops.

Service crews, maintenance workers, supervisors and other mobile teams can move through large areas of the mine during a shift.

The risk assessment should consider whether these workers still have practical access to first aid equipment while moving between areas.

Safe Work Australia's guidance says first aid kits should be provided in work vehicles where workers travel for their job.

For more detail on mobile mining equipment, see our First Aid Kits for Mining Vehicles and Heavy Equipment guide.

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Protect Underground First Aid Kits From Dust and Moisture

Underground mining environments can be hard on first aid equipment.

Dust, mud, moisture and general contamination can affect packaging and equipment over time.

Safe Work Australia's model Code says first aid kits should protect their contents from dust, moisture and contamination.

Kits should remain closed when not in use and should be inspected regularly to make sure sterile packaging remains intact and supplies have not deteriorated.

If a kit is located in a particularly harsh underground environment, more frequent inspections may be appropriate.

For more detail, read our guide on how to protect a first aid kit from dust, water and heat.

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Underground First Aid Needs to Work on Every Shift

Underground first aid arrangements should work whenever underground work is taking place.

That means coverage should be considered across:

• Day shift
• Night shift
• Weekends
• Shutdowns
• Maintenance periods
• Contractor work

A first aid system that works well during the busiest part of day shift may not provide the same level of access at night when fewer workers are underground.

This is why first aider availability, equipment location and emergency response arrangements should be assessed across the full operating roster.

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Underground Mining First Aid Checklist

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Underground Mining First Aid: The Bottom Line

Underground mining makes first aid more complex because access, distance and communication all affect how quickly help can reach an injured worker.

The best first aid system is therefore not simply the biggest kit available.

It is a coordinated arrangement involving suitable equipment, trained people, practical kit locations, reliable communications and an emergency plan that reflects the realities of working underground.

For a broader overview of mining first aid obligations and equipment, read our First Aid Kit Requirements for Mining Sites in Australia guide.