Mining safety regulator warns against 'unprecedented' vapes in mines

Queensland’s independent mining safety regulator has issued a safety alert after six reports of contraband materials in mines over the past five months. Contraband materials include vapes, mobile phones, watches, and other devices that can create a spark. What's next? The regulator has urged miners to check pockets and bags and surrender any prohibited items. An unprecedented number of reports of contraband, such as vapes, being brought into coalmines are being investigated by Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ). The regulator has issued a safety alert reminding workers to be vigilant when checking their personal belongings before entering mines, and to surrender any prohibited items. Kerri Melkersson, executive director of the Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station, said contraband created an "unacceptable ignition risk". "Underground coal mines may contain methane gas and combustible coal dust," she said. "So, any ignition source has the potential to trigger a fire or a catastrophic explosion, which obviously can cause multiple injuries, even fatalities." After testing vapes, Ms Melkersson found the devices to be exceptionally powerful. "Some people may say, 'Look, it's just a vape, how dangerous can it be?'" she said. "What we were able to demonstrate was that the heating elements inside vapes can reach temperatures in excess of 250 degrees Celsius when they're in use. "They can generate over 100 times more energy than is necessary to ignite gas in an underground coal mine." The RSHQ has received six reports of contraband materials in mines in the past five months, including watches, mobile phones, and smoking materials. Until this year, RSHQ had never received any reports of miners bringing vapes into mines. The body hadn't received reports of any contraband entering underground coal mines since 2012. Ms Melkersson urged operators to continue checking their procedures. "Supervisors need to be checking their workers' understanding and, basically, operators need to continue to check the effectiveness of their controls," she said. "The message has to be really clear: no vapes, no lighters, no contraband underground."