Real training, real impact
Why safety training is the backbone of Australia’s mining industry
If you’ve spent any time in mining, you’ll know this industry doesn’t forgive complacency. It’s tough, dynamic and unforgiving. From working at heights to navigating confined spaces in different operations, the risks are ever-present. And as regulatory expectations tighten and community scrutiny intensifies, the pressure to get things right, consistently, is growing.
At Vertical Horizonz Australia (VHA), we believe the solution lies in what we call real training that saves lives. That means practical, relevant, high-impact training that meets workers where they’re at and equips them with the skills to navigate the complex realities of today’s high-risk industries.
Understanding the risk landscape
Mining remains one of Australia’s most vital industries, but it’s not without significant risk. According to KPMG’s Australian Mining Risk Forecast 2024, the sector’s top concerns include environmental liabilities, community pressure and breakdowns in safety systems. These aren’t abstract risks, they ripple through worksites, affect regional communities and challenge operational resilience.
Worker safety continues to be a pressing issue. A 2024 report by Resources Safety & Health Queensland (RSHQ) highlighted several serious incidents during maintenance tasks, where poor exclusion zone management resulted in injuries and fatalities. These aren’t outliers. They’re signals that more needs to be done.
Regulatory pressure is also mounting. In 2024, Rio Tinto publicly raised concerns that increasing layers of environmental regulation (often labelled “green tape”) could delay projects and complicate compliance efforts. These laws, however, aren’t going away. They’re a reflection of growing public and government demand for accountability and they reinforce the need for better training across every level of the workforce.
Training: more than just a box-tick
In this context, training isn’t a formality, it’s risk mitigation. Real training takes complex legislation, safety protocols and site-specific hazards and turns them into practical actions that make sense in the field. It empowers people to recognise risk, act decisively and speak up when something’s not right.
That’s why, at VHA, we deliver training that’s grounded in the real world. Whether it’s confined space rescue or working safely at heights, our courses and programmes are built on lived experience and delivered by trainers who know the terrain, because they’ve worked it.
Take our Surface Miner – Standard 11 course. This isn’t a tick-box course. It’s a foundational programme that embeds safety as a shared responsibility. It teaches communication protocols, hazard recognition and emergency response not in theoretical terms, but in the messy, high-pressure situations that mining crews actually face. That kind of preparation saves lives.
The cost of getting it wrong
When training is inadequate, or missing altogether, the consequences are serious. Beyond the human cost of injury or fatality, there are shutdowns, lost contracts, reputational damage and community backlash. The recently launched Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety (MARS) programme in Western Australia makes it clear: psychosocial risk is now part of your legal responsibility.
And yet, many incidents come down to the same core issues; poor communication, unclear hazard controls, or workers simply not being prepared for the realities of the job. These are solvable problems. But only if training is prioritised.
A 2024 Safety Science study confirmed what most safety professionals already know: targeted, scenario-based training — especially when reinforced on site — reduces the likelihood of incidents and near misses. The challenge is ensuring that training stays aligned with evolving risks and updated regulations.
Why ongoing development matters
Nothing in mining stays static. Equipment evolves. Site conditions shift. Laws change. If your team’s knowledge is stuck five years ago, so is your risk profile.
Ongoing professional development is critical — not just for frontline workers, but for supervisors, health and safety leads and operational managers. Upskilling keeps your teams confident, capable and compliant. It also boosts morale and retention. Workers who feel supported and invested in are more likely to stay — and to lead safety culture from within.
Chandler Macleod (2024) reports that companies with strong development pathways not only see improved engagement but also measurable safety gains. From a business perspective, it’s a smart investment.
That’s why VHA offers flexible, nationally recognised training options that work around operational demands. Our courses include:
- RIIWHS204E – Work Safely at Heights
- MSMPER205 – Enter Confined Spaces
- PUASAR022 – Participate in Rescue Operations
- RIICOM201E – Communicate in the Workplace
Each one is designed not just to meet competency requirements, but to exceed them—ensuring your people are truly prepared.
Building a safer future
Ultimately, we’re not just training for compliance — we’re training for culture. Because when safety becomes a mindset, not just a checklist, it transforms your entire workplace. It moves from being a responsibility carried by a few, to a value shared by all.
At the core of everything we do at VHA is a belief that everyone deserves to go home safe. Every worker. Every day. That belief shapes how we teach, how we design our courses and how we support our clients long after training is complete.
So, whether you’re leading a site, managing a crew or overseeing operations from the boardroom, it’s time to think of training not as a cost, but as a commitment. A commitment to your people. To your reputation. And to the future of an industry that demands nothing less than excellence.
Source:
verticalhorizonz.com.au
1800 143 113
