North Goonyella former mine officials prohibited from management positions

The two officials have had their safety certificates cancelled, meaning they cannot be employed in a mine manager position in any Queensland coal mine.

Two former North Goonyella mine officials have had their statutory certificates of competency cancelled following an underground fire in the mine in 2018.

The North Goonyella mine was evacuated in September 2018 when high gas levels were reported following a scheduled longwall move with an underground fire eventually breaking out at the site.

Resources Safety and Health Queensland cancelled the former officials’ competency certificates on Tuesday, finalising the enforcement process mandated from the incident.

The cancellation of the certificates will mean the pair cannot be employed in a mine manager position in any Queensland coal mine.

RSHQ spokesman said the decision took into consideration the former officials’ actions in response to the escalating risks at the mine and the potential harm that could be caused to workers.

In March 2019, the company behind the mine Peabody released a statement claiming they had worked with industry experts to treat the oxidation from the mine surface but were not able to prevent the fire breaking out in September.

At the time, the company listed nine steps aimed at improving the longwall move process and other mining activities but it is understood the mine has not recommenced operations since the incident and employs only a small care and maintenance team at the site.

A Peabody spokeswoman on Sunday said the company acknowledged the decision from Resources Safety and Health Queensland.

“[We] will continue to work cooperatively with the Queensland Government to share and implement the learnings from the North Goonyella incident,” she said.