Mobile plant operating at a WA mine is managed through the site safety management system under the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022. A machine can be mechanically sound and still be unable to enter service if its inspection evidence, modifications or introduction controls do not satisfy the mine operator.
Mining Inspection Australia mobilises to metropolitan, Goldfields, Mid West and Pilbara sites for independent inspections of excavators, haul trucks, loaders, dozers, graders and drill rigs. The inspection is scoped to the machine, its duty and the WA site control system rather than copied from a national checklist.
Western Australia requirements
- Regulator
- DMIRS Resources Safety administers WA mining safety, while WorkSafe WA administers the general WHS framework and plant requirements outside the mining regulator’s remit.
- Mining regulations
- The Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022 require the mine operator to manage risks from plant, maintain safe systems of work and keep evidence that plant is inspected and fit for use. The inspection report is structured to support the mine’s safety management system and principal employer records.
- Registration and notification
- WA does not require every excavator or haul truck to carry a separate state plant registration. Design registration and item registration still apply to prescribed high-risk plant, and any statutory notification or site approval is checked with the mine and WorkSafe WA before mobilisation.
- Mobilisation
- Pilbara and remote WA work is planned around site induction windows, isolation requirements, light-vehicle and access arrangements, and the time needed to clean critical welds and pin areas before NDT. Asset lists and serial numbers are confirmed before the inspection team travels.
State-specific inspection focus
- Site safety management system
- Inspection evidence is mapped to the WA mine’s plant control, introduction-to-site and defect close-out requirements.
- Remote heavy-duty service
- Frame rails, boom structures, ROPS/FOPS, articulation, braking and wheel ends are prioritised for high-hours Pilbara and Goldfields plant.
- Modification review
- Buckets, trays, guarding, attachments and structural repairs are checked against OEM documentation and the mine’s engineering approval process.
- Introduction to site
- Serial number, inspection status, outstanding defects and return-to-service conditions are recorded for the plant register.
Applicable standards and regulations
| Reference | Title | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| WA WHS (Mines) Regulations 2022 | Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022 | WA mine plant risk management, inspection evidence and safety management system context. |
| DMIRS Resources Safety | WA mining safety regulator | Regulatory expectations for safe mobile plant, mine management systems and evidence available for inspection. |
| AS 2294 series | Earth-moving machinery — Protective structures | ROPS and FOPS condition, identification and unauthorised modification checks. |
| AS 2958.1 / AS 4457.1 | Brakes; off-the-road wheels, rims and tyres | Brake performance and wheel-end inspection for mine mobile plant. |
Inspection checkpoints
- The WA mine’s plant management and introduction requirements are agreed before the machine is isolated.
- Primary structures, pins, bores, ROPS/FOPS and repair welds are examined with targeted MT or UT where indicated.
- Defects are classified with a clear fitness-for-service or return-to-service condition for the person in control of the plant.
- The final report identifies the asset, scope, evidence and any actions needed before the machine is released to the WA site.
Frequently asked questions
Do you inspect mobile plant already operating at a WA mine?
Yes. We inspect in-service plant as well as equipment being introduced to a WA site. The scope is coordinated with the site isolation, access and plant management process.
Does WA plant inspection require state registration?
Not every item of mobile plant has a separate WA registration. Prescribed high-risk plant can have design or item registration obligations, so we check the asset category and the mine’s records rather than treating every machine the same.
Can you mobilise to the Pilbara or Goldfields?
Yes. National mobilisation includes remote WA work. Timing is planned around induction, access, isolation, cleaning and any site-specific travel requirements.