Keeping Australia’s Mining Workforce Safe: The Critical Role of Bus Safety in Remote Transfers

Australia’s resource sector, which employs around 320,000 people, accounts for over 60% of our export revenue. As a key pillar of Australia’s economy, keeping those who work in the sector safe is not just a must for each human life but also for the sustainability of the sector.

For one of Australia’s most valuable workforces every shift starts and ends the same: on a bus – which is why SGESCO-MAX works with mining companies to keep people safe in and around their bus fleet.

Beside a haul truck or excavator, mining buses and personnel carriers may not look dramatic, but they are among the highest-risk interfaces between people and machines in any mining business.

For many companies, these transfers happen several times a day, often over long distances transporting FIFO staff, DIDO employees and permanent residents.

There are many hazards involved with buses:

1. An accident during transit - Because each vehicle carries a large number of people, one incident can affect dozens of lives – the mechanics, electricians, operators and engineers who keep the machines running and the minerals moving. Head-on collisions and roll-over accidents like the one that killed one person and injured five others near Blackwater, Queensland in 2015, sadly, happen too often.
2. An accident caused by a blind spot - Buses have blind spots around all sides of their vehicles and with some camp sites housing up to 5,000 employees, these workers and support staff are vulnerable road users when on and off duty.
3. An accident caused by a rollaway vehicle - In December 2022, a 62-year-old driver was struck and killed by a bus at the Leichhardt Accommodation Village in Queensland’s Bowen Basin. Investigators found the vehicle had rolled forward unexpectedly. (Australasian Mine Safety Journal, Jan 2023)

Compounding these hazards are the environment where mining camps and sites are located, the conditions of the roads and the remoteness of operations.

An invisible risk on the move

Mining transport fleets work in environments far tougher than city roads or national highways. They carry crews between camps and sites before sunrise, through dust storms and darkness, on roads shared with massive haul trucks and service vehicles. Conditions change fast – heavy rain, wildlife, narrow shoulders or a landslip can turn a routine trip into a serious hazard. And, while the bus driver might be wide awake and know the road like the back of their hands, it may not be the case for other drivers on the road.

Unlike urban routes, these journeys often take place far from medical support. When an incident happens — a bus rolls, hits a person, or collides with another heavy vehicle — life-saving hospital help can be a long way away. In these remote regions, every safety measure counts double.

Why these incidents hit harder

When something happens on a remote mine road, the consequences are severe.

There’s the human impact – devastated workers, families and colleagues – and the business impact: production shutdowns, investigations, and the loss of trust that follows any serious incident. Industry data suggest the total cost of a single major heavy-vehicle accident can exceed A$10 million, once downtime, legal processes and compensation are added up.

That’s why prevention matters.

The main safety risks for mining buses

Based on decades of experience, SGESCO-MAX identifies three recurring risk areas for personnel transport vehicles:

1. Unbuckled occupants – This is the number one safety risk – because it can impact the most people. Passengers who remove or forget seatbelts expose themselves to serious injury if the bus brakes sharply or is involved in a collision.
2. Rollaway accidents – A parked bus that moves without warning because the handbrake wasn’t applied correctly or a mechanical fault occurred. Even buses that can quietly creep can kill.
3. Blind-spot collisions – Pedestrians or workers moving around a bus may be unseen by the driver when turning or reversing, due to most vehicles having blind spots of 40% or more.

Each of these risks can be addressed with proven technology already in service across Australian fleets.

Technology that makes a difference

For more than 25 years, SGESCO-MAX has specialised in designing heavy-vehicle safety systems for demanding industries. Our MAX-SAFE™ range provides a layered approach to protection — using sensors, AI, smart logic and active technology to remove as much human error as possible.

MAX-SAFE Seatbelt Warning System™
This solution constantly checks every occupied seat. If someone isn’t buckled once the vehicle is moving, the system alerts the driver with lights and sound. No false alarms, no manual inspections — just instant awareness that everyone is secured.

MAX-SAFE Anti-Rollaway Brake System®
This system applies the brakes automatically if the park brake isn’t engaged and the driver leaves the seat or opens the door. It stops a bus from moving when it shouldn’t – a simple, reliable insurance against one of the most common heavy-vehicle tragedies.

MAX-SAFE Protect 360 AI™
This is a multi-camera AI system that gives a 360-degree view around the vehicle. It detects pedestrians or obstacles and can issue spoken warnings, and flash external light bars so that the driver and anyone at risk in a blind spot is immediately notified. Ideal for busy camp zones.

Case in point: Kinetic Specialised Resources

Kinetic, part of Australasia’s largest bus operator, runs 240 vehicles that transport more than 16,000 passengers each day across various mining regions. To strengthen safety and compliance, the company fitted its fleet with the MAX-SAFE Seatbelt Warning System.

“Safe transport is reliable transport – a key requirement of our transport contracts,”
says Joe Gould, Regional Manager – Workshop. “The MAX-SAFE Seatbelt Warning System provides our drivers with the confidence that all occupants are legally compliant to company transport policies.”

Kinetic’s proactive approach reflects a growing recognition in the resources sector: transport safety is not optional; in 2025 it’s fundamental. It should not be a corner that is cut.

Beyond compliance — the business case for safety

Investing in advanced bus safety systems does more than meet legal obligations. It delivers measurable benefits:

• Fewer incidents and less downtime, keeping projects on schedule.
• Lower insurance and compensation costs.
• Improved morale and retention, because workers feel genuinely protected and that their employer cares.
• Demonstrated leadership in safety and compliance, enhancing brand reputation.

Safer Journeys

Australia’s mining industry has made huge strides in on-site safety, but the journey to and from those sites still carries unacceptable risk, said Scott McPherson, Managing Director of SGESCO-MAX.

“Bus transport in mining isn’t just a means of getting people to work – it’s the lifeline of every operation. When a single vehicle carries dozens of workers through remote country, safety has to start before the engine turns over.”

“With systems like MAX-SAFE Seatbelt Warning, Anti-Rollawaynd Protect 360 AI, mining companies can ensure that safety really does travel with every passenger,” noted Scott.

“Every bus that leaves a camp or mine gate carries Australia’s most valuable resource: its people. Their safe transit isn’t just a duty of care — it’s the measure of a responsible industry.

“SGESCO-MAX’s modern, intelligent safety systems give mining companies the ability to prevent accidents rather than respond to them — and they’re ready to be deployed now.”