PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland government on Friday announced a A$25-million investment over the next two years to deliver more reforms aimed at protecting the health and safety of the state’s coal workers.
In tabling the government’s response to the second Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis Select Committee report, Natural Resources and Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said that the government would invest the funding over the next two years to implement significant reform in the coal industry.
The state government has thrown its support behind all of the report’s 68 recommendations, particularly the establishment of an independent regulator, improved oversight and enforcement of respirable dust monitoring, and improved health arrangements and worker's compensation and rehabilitation for workers.
“Due to the complexity of some of the recommendations, we believe addition analysis and consultation is required to implement those recommendations. The government will continue thorough consultations on these specific recommendations,” Lynham said.
“This work will occur in parallel with our ongoing work on the 18 Monash recommendations, which are all either implemented or well advanced.”
Reforms already in place include coal miners’ compulsory chest X-rays being assessed at least twice, a compulsory health assessment for all coal mineworkers when they enter the industry, while they are working, and when they retire, and a new recognised standard for underground respirable dust control, to help mines identify key areas of dust generation and assist with managing the risk of worker exposure.
Furthermore, respirable dust monitoring results from Queensland’s coal mines were also being published online quarterly.
Edited by: Creamer Media Reporter
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