Safety and Health - An Industry Overview

The safety of employees and a mine's neighbouring community is a primary focus for the entire coal industry. New operational and work practices aimed at providing a safer and healthier work environment, are constantly sought. The industry's pollution control initiatives are an integral part of stringent management measures adopted at each site.

The number of accidents and injuries in the industry is declining rapidly. However, management and employees believe that the accident rate remains too high, both in human and productivity terms, and are continuously working to reduce it.

Company initiatives in this area include the progressive introduction of new technology, work methods and job design, detailed company safety plans and programmes and systematic risk, claims, accident and injury management.

The industry's strategic direction, increased senior and line management involvement and commitment to occupational health and safety have seen the rise of an improved culture throughout the industry.

Coal companies are translating commitment into effective action with substantial results. Considerable effort is being made to provide a safe and healthy workplace through fundamental organisational reform.

As well as commitment to occupational health and safety (OH&S) by senior management, active participation and commitment is being fostered at all work levels. Detailed OH&S plans and programmes are developed and communicated to all employees and are subject to stringent check and control systems.

In short, occupational health and safety is integrated into the daily operations of minesites.

Existing safety legislation, involving both prescriptive coal-specific and general occupational health and safety acts, differs from state to state, in terms of content and application. In accepting the premise that the responsibility for providing a safe and healthy place of work rests squarely with the employer and that the responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment rests with both the employer and all minesite employees, coal companies are seeking to adapt the existing rigid government regulatory systems to the differing conditions and circumstances at each minesite.

For further information, including a comprehensive set of links to relevant organisations, visit the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre (MISHC) site at: http://www.mishc.uq.edu.au/

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