Mine safety experts from across Queensland’s coal sector gathered in Rockhampton on Monday, June 15, for the Site Safety and Health Representative Conference to begin a week-long collaboration on stronger safety standards across the industry.
Hosted by the Mining and Energy Union Queensland District, the conference will run until Friday, June 19.
The conference aims to provide practical training and discussions on key safety issues such as mine inspections, serious incident investigations, fatigue management, and worker health monitoring.
The union’s president Mitch Hughes, said the conference plays a vital role in protecting the health and safety of Queensland’s mine workers.
“Our site safety and health representatives (SHHRs) are the front line of Queensland’s strong mine safety standards,” he said.
“By bringing them together to share knowledge, discuss emerging challenges and explore ways to improve safety outcomes for workers, we’re empowering them to stand up and speak out on site.”
The conference will also cover “growing concerns” around Queensland’s resources safety framework.
“This conference has to be a reminder that mine safety cannot be taken for granted,” Hughes said.
“Every protection, every safety law has been a lesson inked in blood, through injuries and the loss of life across our industry.
“If we don’t stand firm now to uphold our standards, we will have to re-learn these lessons in the future.”
Sessions throughout the conference week will cover a wide range of mine safety topics, including mine safety management systems, fitness-for-work requirements, health assessments, inspection processes, and lessons learned from significant industry incidents.
The conference will also feature SSHRs sharing practical experiences from their own operations, highlighting, the union said, “the value of worker-led safety initiatives across Queensland’s mining sector”.
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