A safety reset across Queensland’s mines and quarries has reached the home stretch, with safety sessions mandated for completion in the workplace by the end of August.
Around half of the state’s 50,000 mine and quarry workers had completed the initiative last week.
Queensland Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said he would report any sites and operators with workers that have not taken part to Townsville regional parliament.
The Queensland Government called for a state-wide safety reset after losing four mine workers and two quarry workers in the past 12 months.
“Minister Lynham said industry needed to organise two-way conversations with every mine worker on every site with management to complete the state-wide safety reset,” Queensland Resources Council (QRC) chief executive Ian Macfarlane said.
“(On August 21), we’ve seen Minister Lynham tell Parliament that more than 23,000 workers have done just that. That’s more than half, and we’re working with the other companies to have the safety reset completed by the end of August.”
The state’s parliament has also rejected the Liberal National Part of Queensland (LNP)’s proposal to delay the three-month parliamentary inquiry into mine safety.
“Now is not the time for talk. It is the time for action,” Lynham said.
A record 975 delegates also attended the 31st Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference on the Gold Coast this month.
Mine workers and union and government representatives have “vowed” to share with their colleagues the new, proven health and safety techniques learned from the four-day conference, according to the QRC.
The conference featured sessions such as incident reporting and analysis, as well as dust impacts and controls.
“Just like carrying the conference bag back with them to work we want all of the delegates to carry with them the critical information about new ways to foster proactive health and safety policies to their respective mine sites,” conference chair and CFMEU safety representative Greg Dalliston said.