PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland Parliament has passed mine safety legislation that would see mining executives facing up to 20 years’ jail if fatalities occurred because of criminal negligence.
Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said establishing industrial manslaughter as an offence in mines and quarries was another key reform by the government to protect the state’s 50 000 mine and quarry workers.
“This offence sends the clear message to employers and senior officers that the safety and health of their workers is paramount.
“In the past two years we’ve had eight workers die, and a gas explosion in an underground coal mine has put five miners in hospital. It’s not acceptable.
“Safety on a mine site is everybody’s responsibility. But a safety culture needs to be modelled right from the top and creating the offence of industrial manslaughter is to ensure senior company officers do all they can to create a safe mine site.
“These new sanctions bring the resources sector and its workers in line with every other workplace across the state, but with higher financial penalties.”
The new laws also require people in critical statutory safety roles in coal mines to be mine operator employees, and not contract workers.
“This provides these critical officers with confidence that they can raise and report safety issues without fear of reprisal or impact on their employment,” Lynham told Parliament.
The new legislation complements a suite of sweeping mine safety and health reforms, including increased maximum penalties for offences to A$4-million and powers for the regulator to issue fines without going to court, as well as statewide safety reset sessions for mine and quarry workers to refocus on health and safety.
The government has also advocated for better detection and prevention of black lung, and an improved safety net for affected workers, while setting aside A$2.2-million for a mobile screening service to support the early detection and prevention of mine dust lung diseases.
A further A$35-million will be spent to deliver reforms to improve the safety and health of Queensland’s mineworkers, with the government also establishing an independent resources health and safety authority from July 1.
Lynham said on Wednesday that the legislation also reduced the financial risk to the taxpayer of rehabilitating abandoned mine sites and removed unfair fees for electricity users in south-east Queensland.