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Yancoal Australia is recognized as a pioneer in implementing a culture of safety excellence in the mining industry. The company's program, called "Safe way every day," focuses on empowering employees to implement their own safety behaviors through simple concepts and tools. By analyzing data, Yancoal discovered that a majority of safety incidents were related to human behavior. The program addresses this by encouraging employees to speak out if they feel unsafe and creating a peer support network. As a result, Yancoal has seen a significant reduction in injuries and an increase in incident reporting and positive safety feedback. Implementing a long-term cultural framework and recognizing safety as a shared responsibility are key aspects of the program's success. [Extracted from the article]

A major coal miner has turned to SICK for an innovative AI-based camera system to ensure the safety and injury-free operation of its draglines. The SICK Visionary-B Two camera is installed under the dragline excavator and can detect people around it, as well as measure their distance from the machine with millimeter precision. The camera provides live feed to a screen in the operator's cabin, allowing them to monitor blind spots and customize the danger zone for each machine. The camera has been praised for its advanced technology, accuracy, and user-friendly setup. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents the second of a two-part series article which examines the issues surrounding the resurgence of coal workers pneumoconiosis or black lung in Australia.

The article focuses on health of miners and especially workers' pneumoconiosis in Australia. Topics discussed include introduction of new standards for reducing particulate matter in coal mines in Australia, a review of the Coal Mine Workers' Health Scheme (CMWHS) to be made by started in Queensland and views of Professor Malcolm Sim of the Monash University Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in Australia, on review of CMWHS.

Reports on the issues concerning the progressive black coal industry in Australia. Financial performance of the industry; Companies that are doing well in the industry; Production capacity of the industry.

The article focuses on the development of a new dust suppression technology, the VTEX Venturi, by David Brims, co-founder of VTEX Industries, to help minimise the chances of black lung in Australia's mining sector.

The article discusses the implications to Australian coal mine workers of the Coal Mining Industry Employer Group's (CMIEG) call for the capping of redundancy payments at nine years. Topics discussed include the possible resurgence of black lung disease, workers' entitlement to severance pay of one week for each working year and two weeks' pay for each year in terms of retrenchment, and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union's (CFMEU) opposition to the proposal.

The article reports that mining company BHP Billiton is having positive approach towards the Fair Work Act of the Australia to increase productivity in the mining industry. Topics discussed include the Act of the Fair Work Commission, expansion of enterprise agreements and relationship between employer and employees under the Act, and views of Steve Smyth, President of CFMEU Mining and Energy in Queensland, on the rights of coal mineworkers.

The article discusses how Glencore Coal successfully recruited mine workers with no previous mining experience for its Ulan West prospect. Topics discussed include the roadshow recruitment campaign led by Glencore Ulan West human resource coordinator Stephanie Gelland and the purpose built Baal Bone facility established by the company to train the new recruits. Also discussed are features of the Glencore program to train a greenhorn workforce.

The article presents brief information on several companies related to mining industry nominated for 11th Prospects Awards in Coal Mine of the Year category. Information on companies including Isaac Plains Coal, Peabody Energy's Millenium mine, and Glencore's Oaky Creek Coal mine, is also offered. It also highlights that Oaky Creek Coal plant was nominated when met the performance specification and output.

The article discusses the limits of legitimate protesting. The topics discussed include Australian public intellectual Clive Hamilton's allegations that Australian security agencies were monitoring anti-coal activists, liberal economist Ludwig von Mises' views on duties of state in a liberal democracy. Also discussed are fossil fuel divestment campaign.

The article focuses on the CoalStart program offered by Mines Rescue Service Ltd. which is aimed to workers with no mining experience but has the ability to up skill workers from other industries. Paul Healey, Mines Rescue's general manager, says that the program combined virtual reality simulation and hands on experience at a site to prepare workers for the industry. Paul Hartcher, UGM Australia's managing director, adds that they see potential people for the program.

The article focuses on the decline of injuries in coal miners in New South Wales (NSW). Coal Services says that the reduction rate has spurred a cut to insurance rates in the coal industry. Stephen Galilee, NSW Minerals Council's chief executive officer (CEO), mentions that fatal injuries has fallen by 37.5% while serious bodily injuries has decline by 48.5%. Lucy Fleming, Coal Services' CEO, adds that every workers compensation jurisdiction either held or raised their rate.

The article focuses on the use of Australian mine operators for specialised 4WD buses. It states that the mine operators favoured 4WD buses at remote areas in Pilbara, Western Australia while coal operations in regions such as Bowen Basin, Queensland realised its benefits. Kevin De Bruin, owner-operator of Perth-based 4WD bus and coach manufacturer Able Bus & Coach, says that coal operators realised that the 4WD buses offer more efficient, safer, and more comfortable means of transportation.

The article describes Illawarra Coal's program of rehabilitation works for disused infrastructure and mine sites in New South Wales. According to Col Bloomfield, president of Illawarra Coal, the powerlines removal project demonstrates the company's commitment to working with the community to minimize impacts of the company's mining operations. This work has already resulted in the completion of rehabilitation at the Kemira Colliery site.

The article reports that price increases for semi-soft coking coal that have pushed them 45% above the price of thermal coal, have encouraged Resource Pacific Holdings to prepare for the full expansion of its Newpac Colliery. It informs that the company said a bankable feasibility study of its expanded case to increase production to 4 metric ton per annum was under review. It said it was on track to make a decision in June on the proposed longwall operation to be installed and in production by January 2007.