Coal Mines Inspectorate issues bulletin after audit finds HPI under-reporting

An audit of mine incident reports has found a ‘significant’ decrease in the number despite evidence indicating potentially deadly occurrences have still been happening.

An alarming number of high potential incidents at Queensland mines have gone unreported, prompting an alert from the industry watchdog and more recommendations for operators.

A Coal Inspectorate bulletin under Resources Safety and Health Queensland said there had been a “significant decrease” in the number of HPIs in the 2020-21 fiscal year.

A Coal Mines Inspectorate audit of mine incident reports found there were 25.7 per cent fewer HPIs than the previous year while the reporting frequency also dropped 22 per cent.

A HPI is an event, or series of events, that “causes or has the potential to cause a significant adverse effect on the safety or health of a person”.

“During the past six months the Coal Mines Inspectorate has requested and received from 20 per cent of mines, both underground and open cut coal mines, copies of their internal incident reporting data,” the bulletin said.

“The remaining 80 per cent of mines will be audited in a similar manner.

“An analysis of this data shows there have been incidents occurring that were not reported as HPIs, when evidence suggests they were HPIs as defined by section 17 of the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999.”

A memorial commemorating miners who have tragically lost their lives in Moranbah's mining industry features in the town's centre. Photo: Zizi Averill

The watchdog described 11 incidents that went unreported including compromised flameproof enclosures in underground mines, significant strata failures in surface mines, “falls of ground in underground mines” and fatigue events “such as microsleeps occurring when operating mobile plant in surface mines” and “significant structural failures” on mobile equipment being operated in surface mines.

The audit began to ensure all HPIs were being reported to the inspectorate to enable learnings to be communicated to the wider industry.

“This continuous learning from incidents is a key part of any High Reliability Organisation or industry,” the bulletin said.

“It is also a key finding in the 2019 Brady Review into fatal accidents in Queensland, and that of the 2021 Coal Mining Board of Inquiry.”

RSQ said among the key issues identified in the audit the learning opportunities for hazards were lost to the industry.

“Under reporting does not promote a positive safety and health culture,” the bulletin said.

“Evidence shows some incidents not reported as HPIs have been classified within their mine’s internal incident reporting system as being ‘a potential single fatality’, yet still not reported to the Inspectorate.”

RSQ recommended coal mine operators review their HPI reporting processes and implement the reporting standards adopted by High Reliability Organisations, which were identified in the 2019 Brady Review.

“Coal mine workers are encouraged to make confidential complaints concerning HPIs not reported, enabling the inspectorate to investigate such under reporting and take appropriate action,” the bulletin said.

Originally published as Coal Mines Inspectorate issues bulletin after audit finds HPI under-reporting