Queensland mine blast inquiry responses probed

A parliamentary inquiry has been ordered to investigate how Queensland’s coal industry has acted on recommendations from a report into a mine blast that almost killed five men in 2020.

Injured Grosvenor miner Wayne Sellars speaks at the Queensland coal mining board of inquiry.

A parliamentary inquiry has been ordered to investigate how Queensland’s coal industry has acted on recommendations from a report into a mine blast that almost killed five men in 2020.

Five workers were struck down by two pressure waves “like a cyclone” and engulfed in flames in a gas explosion at Anglo American’s Grosvenor coalmine in central Queensland on May 6, 2020.

An inquiry, headed by retired District Court judge Terry Martin, found workers at the mine were repeatedly exposed to an “unacceptable level of risk”.

The Grosvenor Coal Mine, near Moranbah, continued to operate despite bosses knowing its gas management system couldn’t cope with the rate of production.

The final report of the Queensland Coal Mining Board of Inquiry, ordered after a series of revelations in The Australian about persistent problems controlling methane at the mine before the explosion, made 65 recommendations when it was released last year.

A slew of new safety procedures were recommended, including clamping location trackers on miners while they are underground, and mining companies to review bonus structures to ensure they do not inadvertently discourage the reporting of safety incidents or injuries.

In a statement released on Tuesday night, Resources Minister Scott Stewart announced a parliamentary inquiry would be launched to monitor how the industry has acted on recommendations from the inquiry.

“It is critical that Queenslanders can be confident the resources industry is doing everything it possibly can to ensure the safety and health of the workers they employ, which is why an inquiry is important,” Mr Stewart said.

“The Transport and Resources Committee will be asked to conduct an inquiry into what the coalmining industry has done, and plans to do, in response to the Queensland Coal Mining Board of Inquiry’s recommendations, to make lasting changes to improve safety culture in the industry.

“The most important thing to come off a mine site is its workers, and the Palaszczuk government will always put the health and safety of Queenslanders first.”

Mr Stewart said he was updated each fortnight by the independent health and safety regulator about the work it was doing in response to the recommendations.

“This parliamentary inquiry will allow more information to be gained about what the coalmining industry is doing to reduce harm to workers and hear from other stakeholders.”

After weeks of public hearings last year, Mr Martin found Anglo American failed to do a risk assessment of spontaneous combustions before starting work on the section of the mine that exploded. The men were left scrambling in the dirt when the power went out and fire melted their uniforms and helmets 400m underground.

Shearer driver Wayne Sellars lost his right ear and suffered burns to 70 per cent of his body in an explosion caused by spontaneous combustion of methane.

Queensland’s Mines Inspectorate also failed to give the mine necessary scrutiny, despite repeated dangerous gas levels reported. Potential witnesses, particularly Anglo American employees, claimed privilege against self-­incrimination and did not give evidence to the inquiry.

Mr Martin had asked the state government to change laws to give the board power to force witnesses to give evidence but it was not acted on.