QRC has welcomed the release of the Brady Review into Mining and Quarrying fatalities and two University of Queensland expert legal assessments of coal mining and mining and quarrying legislation.
These reports represent a wealth of information that the resources industry can use to further enhance safety.
Last July QRC committed to working with Minister Lynham on the outcomes of these reviews. We restate that commitment now and congratulate the Minister on initiating these important reviews.
QRC endorses all of the recommendations of the Brady Review. The report represents a detailed analysis of the fatalities, serious accidents and high potential incidents that have occurred in the Queensland mining and quarrying industries over the last 20 years. It contains information that industry as a whole can use, as well as being a resource that individual operations can use to help them better manage hazards at their own sites. We thank Dr Sean Brady for his detailed work.
The Brady Report says:
“The 6 fatalities that occurred between July 2018 and July 2019 have been described by some in the industry as evidence of an industry in crisis, but a bleaker assessment is that this is an industry resetting itself to its normal fatality rate.”
This is a very sobering assessment that the industry takes seriously.
QRC commits to redoubling efforts to do everything possible to maintain vigilance and remain safe. QRC fully accepts that while the mining industry has inherent risk we must always improve the focus on the practical actions that can keep our workers safe. QRC will now undertake further detailed review of Dr Brady’s findings as a matter of urgency.
We also acknowledge the imminent passage of the Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) Bill, which arose out of the CWP inquiry.
QRC looks forward to working with the Minister, the resources safety inspectorate and worker representatives during the creation of RSHQ.
QRC is also coordinating work with experts and companies to identify practical programs to implement safety principles identified in Dr Brady’s report.
The Queensland resources industry is determined to remain a leader in safety, and the industry commits to using the findings of Dr Brady’s report to identify new ways to improve safety for all workers.
QRC also supports in principle the recommendations of the UQ Legislative Effectiveness Review and looks forward to a full analysis of the respective reviews by the Ministerial Advisory Committees.
