LEGISLATION has been passed in Queensland to set up an independent health and safety body for workers in the resources sector from July 1.
The new body will be called Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) and will regulate the safety and health of workers in the state’s minerals, coal, petroleum and gas, quarry, small scale mining and explosives industries.
This puts into action the Safety and Health Queensland Bill 2019, based on recommendations by the Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis (CWP) select committee.
Queensland Mines minister Anthony Lynham said the new regulator would focus on enhancing safety of the state’s 70,000 resources workers.
“It will be totally separate from the government’s broader function of growing and facilitating mining and exploration projects and the resources sector as a whole,” he said.
The Queensland Government’s new mine safety reforms include better detection and prevention of black lung disease as well as increasing maximum penalties for offences up to $4m.
