Mines Rescue Service

Mines Rescue Service is a registered training organisation (RTO) with almost 90 years’ experience assisting the mining industry to manage risk and operate safely.

Underground mining incident response

Our primary role is to provide underground incident response, an area where we excel as a result of harnessing the expertise of decades of experience. We also play a pivotal role in training to ensure the highest quality standards.

Our training packages have been developed by emergency response professionals with national qualifications in course development, training and assessment, and underground and surface mining.

We have four rescue stations within the coalfields of New South Wales, located in Newcastle, Wollongong, Lithgow and Singleton.

Emergency response training for mining personnel

Training for all levels of confined space personnel meets all the competencies as laid out in the federal document released by the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission in January 1996; Core Training Elements for the National Standard for Safe Working in a Confined Space.

Our training complies with all the requirements of Australian Standard 2865 and includes occupational health and safety requirements and all related documents.

Mines Rescue Service’s range of training courses includes:

• Introduction to surface mining
• NSW underground generic induction training course – four days
• Level 1 – confined space training
• Level 2 – confined space training
• Level 3 – confined space training
• Non-accredited confined space training
• Metalliferous mine emergency preparedness
• Certificate III in emergency response and rescue
• Firefighting
• Safe working at heights
• Road accident rescue
• Vertical rescue operator
• Coal mines deputies course
• Undermanager’s course
• Mines rescue brigadesman
• Mine official leadership
• Incident control

Confined space courses for the mining industry

Confined space courses are offered as either public courses or for specific industries. All our training programmes can be conducted on the client’s site, or at any of the four Mines Rescue stations within NSW. The majority of these programmes are accredited and aimed at all levels of employees.

Guidance material on confined spaces states that core competencies must be maintained and re-accreditation training should take place at appropriate intervals.