Underground coal mining is inherently hazardous, with uncontrolled ground failure regarded as one of only several critical risks for multiple fatality events. Development, implementation and management of overarching systems and procedures for maintaining strata control is an important step to mitigating the impact of ground failure hazards at a mine site operational level. This paper summarised the typical pro-active ground control management system (PGCMS) implemented in various Australian underground coal mines. Australia produces approximately 100 million tonnes a year of metallurgical and thermal coal from approximately 30 of the world’s safest longwall mines operating in New South Wales and Queensland. The increased longwall productivity required to achieve both high levels of safety and profitability, places significant emphasis on the reliability of pro-active ground control management for longwall mining operations. Increased depths, adverse geological conditions, elevated variable stress regimes and weaker ground conditions, coupled with an industry wide need for increased development rates continue to make ground control management challenging. Ground control management is not only about ground support and pillar design though but also a structured process that requires a coordinated effort from all levels of the workforce to both minimise the occurrence of adverse geotechnical events and mitigate the potential risks when they do occur. The PGCMS presented in this paper is proven to provide both a safer and more productive mine environment through minimisation of unplanned delays. The critical elements of the method are presented in detail and demonstrate the utility and value of a ground control management system that has potential for implementation in underground coal mining globally.

地下煤矿开采具有固有的危险性，不受控制的地面故障被认为是造成多种死亡事件的几种关键风险之一。维护地层控制的总体系统和程序的开发，实施和管理，是缓解矿山运营层面地面故障危害的重要一步。本文总结了在澳大利亚各种地下煤矿中实施的典型的主动地面控制管理系统（PGCMS）。澳大利亚每年在新南威尔士州和昆士兰州运营的约30个世界上最安全的长壁煤矿中生产约1亿吨冶金和动力煤。实现高水平的安全性和盈利能力需要提高长壁生产率，非常重视长壁开采作业的主动地面控制管理的可靠性。深度的增加，不利的地质条件，变化的应力状态的升高以及较弱的地面条件，加上全行业对提高生产率的需求，继续使地面控制管理面临挑战。地面控制管理不仅涉及地面支持和支柱设计，而且涉及结构化的过程，需要各个级别的员工共同努力，以最大程度地减少不良岩土事件的发生并减轻潜在的岩土事件的发生。事实证明，本文中介绍的PGCMS可通过最大限度地减少计划外延误来提供更安全，生产效率更高的矿山环境。