According to a major new study, coal miner mortality rates are lower than national averages – but experts highlighted areas of improvement to keep the industry’s workforce thriving.
The long-running research, led by the Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, tracked the health outcomes of nearly 200,000 coal mine workers between 1983 and 2020.
The project linked coal mine worker details with medical registers to identify any elevation in risk of death or cancer beyond that of the general background population risk, to provide insight into the efficacy of current protective strategies.
The data linkage project used personal but not medical data from the Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) health assessment database, containing over 160,000 men and almost 19,000 women.
The findings reveal that despite the hazardous nature of the work, coal miners actually experience lower overall mortality rates than the general Australian population.
However, the study also identified opportunities for improvement – particularly when it comes to reducing tobacco use and sun exposure on site.
The study found smoking rates among coal miners remain high, with up to 28 per cent of workers identified as smokers – far above the national average.
Researchers said targeted workplace campaigns could significantly cut cancer risk.
Sun exposure is another area in need of attention, with male miners showing elevated rates of melanoma. Researchers called for stricter sun protection policies across sites, including improved personal protective equipment (PPE) and education.
Overall, the report highlights that these risks can be mitigated through better preventive strategies.
With coal mining providing around 30,000 jobs in Queensland, industry leaders say they are taking the findings seriously.
The research underscores that even a high-performing industry like mining must continue to evolve its health and safety efforts – ensuring miners not only live longer, but enjoy healthier lives.
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