Mining and Energy Union’s 2023 mine safety conference in Rockhampton

Training and changes to government regulations during peak demand for Queensland coal have been blamed for fatalities and recent accidents on mine sites as safety leaders gather at a union conference.

The crowd at the MEU 2023 mine safety conference at the Rockhampton Leagues Club on August 8.

The danger union leaders say workers are allegedly being exposed to as production ramps up at Queensland coal sites has been the hot topic at a mine safety conference in Rockhampton.

It comes after Resources Safety and Health Queensland recorded 148 high-potential incidents/serious safety breaches, 10 serious accidents and two fatalities (Cloncurry) in the first quarter alone as well as a recent spike in crane-related incidents at Bowen Basin coal mines which have sparked two workplace safety investigations.

Speaking at the Mining and Energy union’s 2023 mine safety conference on Tuesday, MEU Queensland President Stephen Smyth said the main issue discussed was training and the lack thereof, labelling recent government regulation changes a “joke and a mockery”.

“Training is a big issue, lack of supervision, quality of supervision, pressure on the job, people being employed as labour hire contractors,” he said.

“Nothing has really changed, if you go back and look at the introduction of the Act well over 20 years ago, little has changed.

“What has changed is the severity of incidents, the fact that workers are losing their life and no one is being held to account.”

Trade data released by the Federal Government earlier this year estimated earnings from Australia’s minerals and energy exports were set to reach record levels of $464 billion in 2022-2013 and income from Australian thermal coal was expected to be $128 billion.

There are 66 mines in operation in Queensland and 36,000 people employed, with the majority of mines in the Bowen Basin west of Rockhampton and Mackay.

Graeme Middlebrook, Batchfire Callide, Stephen Smyth, MEU, and Glenn Hamilton, BMA Blackwater, at the Mining and Energy Union’s 2023 mine safety conference.

As coal is in demand, so too are more employees and some jobs have been advertised as “greenskin” with no experience required.

When asked if this was a recipe for disaster, Mr Smyth had concerns the industry was trending in the wrong way.

“We certainly are,” he said.

“It’s falling on deaf ears and I don’t believe employers and the government are taking the necessary steps to ensure safety is paramount.”

Mr Smyth said safety and health representatives had the authority to shut mines down if they were unsafe and they should be doing that.

“Incidents have increased, the severity, occurrence of the same incident again, whether it’s dozers, drills, cranes,” Mr Smyth said.

“We’re not learning from the previous incidents and we’re getting a lot of close calls and near misses, we need to be vigilant in this space and if we’re not, something serious will be happening.”

Legislation was passed in state parliament at the end of last year to amend the Coal Mining Safety and Health and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022, requiring coal mine operators to appoint direct employees in safety-critical statutory roles.

When asked if these changes were effective and working, Mr Smyth labelled it “a joke”.

He said there have been issues with the notifications and information available.

“They (the government) need to think things through when they make a change,” he said.

He said the government was giving the mine operators “an out” by allowing them “to have up to 12 weeks to have someone in that statutory role”

He claimed one Bowen Basin mine employed their workers for 11 weeks and six days and changed the contract before the seventh day.

“It makes a mockery of that piece of legislation, it has not made it safer,” he said.

“We told the government that would happen … They would find a way around.”

An inquiry into coal mining industry safety was tabled in Queensland Parliament in February, with 11 recommendations.

Mr Smyth criticised inquiries, believing there needed to be a stricter process.

“That’s the problem with any inquiry, when they are a recommendation, that’s it, they are not mandated to be enforced …. (the government) need to be sterner, they need to mandated and put stuff in place that will really make a difference,” he said.

The end message Mr Smyth focused on was to employees.

“Withdraw your labour if you’re being put at risk,” he said.

“If employers aren’t providing a safe place of work, we need to withdraw our labour, that is the only thing that will fix a lot of issues.”