Qld mine safety regulator issues safety notice following fatal incident

A coal mine worker died from injuries sustained while dismantling conveyor equipment underground in central Queensland last month.

The 58-year-old man died after suffering serious head injuries at an underground mine south-west of Mackay on 25 March.

Investigations are continuing.

Following the incident, Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) reminds mining companies to “ensure the safety and health management system (SHMS) provides effective preventive critical controls for lifting and managing suspended loads, to prevent uncontrolled movement of suspended loads.”

“Verify the SHMS provides for mitigating critical controls, to ensure coal mine workers are not in the line of fire of any actions resulting from an uncontrolled movement of a suspended load,” RSHQ states in a safety notice issued after the incident.

“Verify that coal mine workers required to conduct lifting activities have the appropriate demonstrated competencies relevant to the environment in which the task is being undertaken.”

Source: Resources Safety and Health Queensland.