Conveyor systems operating in Australia must comply with AS 1755 – Conveyors – Safety Requirements, relevant state mining legislation, and site-specific risk management procedures.
Failure to meet conveyor safety regulations can expose operators to serious safety incidents, production shutdowns, regulatory action, and reputational risk.
This page provides a practical overview of AS 1755 conveyor compliance, emergency stop requirements, mining risk management expectations, and how to build a defensible safety strategy.
Understanding AS 1755 Conveyor Safety Requirements
AS 1755 establishes minimum safety requirements for the design, installation, guarding and operation of conveyor systems in Australia.
The standard addresses:
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Emergency stop systems
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Guarding and access protection
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Restart prevention
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Isolation procedures
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Hazard identification and risk mitigation
Compliance requires both physical safeguarding and functional shutdown systems to operate reliably under fault conditions.
Importantly, compliance is not just about installation — it requires ongoing inspection, testing and documented maintenance.
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Use this high-level checklist when reviewing your conveyor system:
Emergency Stop Systems
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Pull wire emergency stops installed along accessible walkways
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Devices positioned for rapid operator access
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Trip activation stops the conveyor safely
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Manual reset required before restart
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Cables correctly tensioned and regularly inspected
Guarding & Restart Prevention
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Guards prevent access to moving components
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Guard interlocks prevent restart when opened
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Restart requires deliberate action
Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment
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Conveyor safety risk assessment completed
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Hazards documented and classified
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Risk mitigation measures implemented
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Periodic review and audit scheduled
Functional Safety Considerations
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Safety circuits monitored
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Trip devices fail safe
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Appropriate SIL assessment completed where required
This checklist does not replace the standard, but it highlights key compliance areas commonly reviewed during audits.
Conveyor Emergency Stop Requirements in Australia
Under AS 1755 conveyor safety requirements, emergency stop systems must:
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Be readily accessible along the conveyor
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Stop the system in a safe and controlled manner
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Not automatically restart
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Require manual reset
In mining and long overland conveyor systems, pull wire emergency stop systems are commonly used to provide continuous emergency coverage.
Improper spacing, poor cable tension, or lack of monitoring can compromise compliance — even if devices are installed.
A Structured Approach to Conveyor Safety Compliance
Step 1:
Conduct a Conveyor Safety Risk Assessment
A formal conveyor safety risk assessment identifies hazards and evaluates consequence severity and likelihood.
Common conveyor hazards include:
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Entanglement and nip points
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Belt misalignment leading to structural damage
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Belt rip events
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Unexpected restart during maintenance
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Spillage creating slip hazards
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Blocked chutes causing overload
Mining conveyor risk management requires proactive mitigation — not reactive repair after failure.
Risk controls should aim to reduce:
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Probability of occurrence
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Severity of consequence
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Exposure to personnel
Step 2:
Implement a Mining Conveyor Risk Management Strategy
Mining conveyor systems introduce additional compliance pressure due to:
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Long overland installations
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High belt tensions and throughput
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Remote and dust-heavy environments
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Continuous production requirements
An effective mining conveyor risk management strategy includes:
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Emergency stop coverage along full conveyor length
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Belt misalignment detection
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Belt rip detection systems
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Slip and speed monitoring
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Blocked chute detection
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Guard interlock protection
Layered detection supports both compliance and operational continuity.
Step 3:
Perform a Conveyor Functional Safety Assessment (SIL)
Where shutdown functions are safety critical, a conveyor functional safety assessment may be required to determine appropriate Safety Integrity Level (SIL).
This process evaluates:
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Required risk reduction
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Failure probability
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Diagnostic coverage
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Safe failure fraction
Safety-rated emergency stop devices and monitored circuits may be required in higher-risk mining applications.
Functional safety assessment strengthens defensibility during regulatory review and internal audits.
What Regulators Expect
During a mining conveyor audit, regulators assess both physical safeguards and documented safety processes:
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Emergency stop installation and functionality
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Guarding adequacy
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Restart prevention measures
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Documented risk assessment
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Maintenance and inspection records
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Evidence of hazard mitigation
Meeting these expectations requires more than compliant hardware, it requires a structured safety program.
The Protection Devices That Enable Compliance
To meet audit requirements, conveyor protection devices must be engineered for mining conditions:
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Mechanically robust
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Suitable for harsh environments
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Properly IP rated
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Corrosion resistant
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Reliable under fault conditions
Smart Series protection devices support compliance by providing:
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Pull wire emergency stop systems
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Belt misalignment switches
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Belt rip detection systems
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Slip and speed monitoring
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Blocked chute detectors
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Guard restart prevention
Building a Defensible Conveyor Safety Program
A defensible conveyor safety program integrates risk assessment, engineered controls, and ongoing verification:
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Conduct conveyor safety risk assessment
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Identify hazard zones
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Verify emergency stop spacing and coverage
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Install compliant protection devices
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Validate shutdown performance
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Implement documented inspection and testing schedules
Compliance is an ongoing operational responsibility, not a one-off installation exercise.