WA mine operators need more than a list of indications: they need evidence that a crack, wall-loss result or repair weld has been assessed in the context of the mine safety management system and the asset’s intended duty. NDT is selected for the material and defect mechanism, then reported against a defined acceptance basis.
Mining Inspection Australia mobilises NDT capability to WA mine and project sites for mobile plant structures, crane welds, pins, pressure equipment, conveyors and fixed steelwork. Remote mobilisation is planned with surface preparation, access and isolation requirements agreed in advance.
Western Australia requirements
- Regulator
- DMIRS Resources Safety regulates mining safety in WA, while WorkSafe WA covers the broader workplace and plant framework. The responsible regulator and site engineering authority are identified in the inspection scope.
- Mining regulations
- WA WHS (Mines) Regulations 2022 place plant and structural risk within the mine’s safety management system. The report connects NDT results to the mine’s defect management and engineering review process, without treating an NDT indication as a standalone fitness decision.
- Registration and notification
- NDT itself is generally an inspection method rather than a separate WA plant registration. The asset may still have design or item registration, pressure equipment records or mine notification and approval requirements; those records are checked when they affect the structural integrity decision.
- Mobilisation
- Pilbara, Goldfields and remote WA NDT requires clean test locations, safe access, isolation, lighting and enough outage time for calibration, retesting and reporting. The method plan is agreed before travel so equipment, consumables and any engineering review are available on site.
State-specific inspection focus
- Mining asset integrity
- Booms, chassis, pins, crane structures, conveyors and fixed steelwork are scoped against the mine’s safety management and defect escalation process.
- Repair verification
- Repair welds are examined against the approved repair procedure and acceptance criteria before the asset is recommended for return to service.
- Pressure equipment
- Vessels and piping are assessed with reference to AS/NZS 3788 records, corrosion allowance and the site’s responsible engineering authority.
- Remote evidence pack
- Calibration, method, indication maps, photographs and engineering referral points are included so a WA site can close the finding defensibly.
Applicable standards and regulations
| Reference | Title | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| WA WHS (Mines) Regulations 2022 | Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022 | WA mine safety management and defect control context for structural assets. |
| ISO 9712 / AINDT | NDT personnel qualification and certification | Personnel certification framework for MT, UT, PT and other methods. |
| AS 1171 / AS 2062 / AS 2207 | Magnetic particle, penetrant and ultrasonic testing | Method requirements and acceptance basis for common mining NDT scopes. |
| DMIRS Resources Safety | WA mining safety regulator | Regulatory context for plant and structure evidence retained by the mine. |
Inspection checkpoints
- The defect mechanism, material, access and acceptance basis are agreed before selecting MT, UT, PT, PAUT or thickness measurement.
- Test locations are cleaned, calibrated and recorded with enough detail for another competent person to understand the result.
- Rejectable indications are escalated to the site engineering authority with repair, monitoring or hold-from-service conditions.
- Remote WA reporting includes the evidence needed for the mine’s defect register and return-to-service decision.
Frequently asked questions
Can NDT be performed at a remote WA mine?
Yes. We plan the method, cleaning, access, isolation, calibration and reporting window before mobilisation so field-portable testing is practical at the site.
Does an NDT report certify a structure as fit for service?
Not by itself. The report states the indications and acceptance basis. Fitness or return-to-service decisions are made with the applicable engineering and site controls.
Do you verify structural repairs in WA?
Yes. We can inspect repair welds and critical areas against the approved repair procedure, NDT requirements and the mine’s engineering release process.