Coal mine safety public hearings will be held in Mackay, Moranbah and Emerald

Workers at the coalface have less than two weeks to speak up as a safety inquiry looks at whether operators have acted on recommendation in the wake of a mine blast which left five injured.

Men and woman at the coalface have less than two weeks to have their say as part of an inquiry into mining safety that will then conduct public hearings in Mackay, Moranbah and Emerald.

The inquiry is looking into current practices and activities of the coal mining industry including operators, senior management and labour hire companies to cultivate and improve safety culture at a corporate and on-site level.

A Transport and Resources Committee is steering a new parliamentary inquiry, announced in August, into whether mines have acted on any of the 65 recommendations handed down following a probe into the Grosvenor mine blast.

Five workers were seriously injured in the explosion at the Anglo American-owned mine on May 6, 2020, with Airlie Beach man Wayne Sellars describing it as having felt like “standing in a blowtorch”.

Injured coal miner Wayne Sellars, badly burned in the explosion at the Grosvenor mine at Moranbah on May 6 2020, arrives to give evidence at the coal mining board of inquiry, Brisbane 7th of April 2021. (Image/Josh Woning)

Recommendations made in the Queensland Coal Mining Board of Inquiry included tightening controls for methane management, including classifying exceedances at or above 2.5 per cent as high potential incidents.

The Transport and Resources Committee is calling for written submissions by October 5.

Inquiry chair Shane King MP is urging people in the coal mining industry and members of the public to contact the committee and share their views.

“As part of this inquiry, we are calling for people to make written submissions relevant to the inquiry terms of reference,” Mr King said.

“Following the close of submissions, the committee intends to travel to Emerald, Moranbah and Mackay to hold public hearings and also conduct site visits.”

For details about the terms of reference or how to make a submission go here.