Dean Barr A/Director, Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme Kerri Melkersson Director, Health Surveillance Unit, Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Since the re-identification of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis in Queensland in 2015, and reforms resultant from the Monash and UIC independent expert review of 2016, the department has implemented improved screening methods for the detection of respiratory disease in coal mine workers. As at March 2019, more than 30,000 chest x-rays have been dual read to International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards, resulting in 99% returning a negative result for disease. Of the 1.0% which screened positive, 15 have resulted in a diagnosis of disease.</p . The department receives reports of cases of mine dust lung disease (MDLD) through a number of pathways; doctors, mine operators and the workers’ compensation scheme all provide confirmation of diagnoses within the mining and quarrying sectors. As at March 2019, 99 cases of MDLD have been reported across all sectors since 1984 (89 since 2015). Separate to the reforms implemented in the mining regulatory framework, the Queensland Parliament is considering a Bill to establish a Notifiable Dust Lung Diseases Register to be administered by Queensland Health. This will provide a further mechanism to ensure the incidence of disease is understood. This paper provides an overview of the current screening pathways to detect MDLD in Queensland mine workers.

Samantha Betzien Partner, MinterEllison Rhian O’Sullivan Special Counsel, MinterEllison In 2018 there were a number of amendments to the resources safety legislation in Queensland including in relation to contractor management and the introduction of a positive obligation on officers to exercise due diligence. This positive obligation is a significant change and it is important that organisations in the resources sector conduct a review of their safety governance systems to ensure that their Board and Executives are able to discharge their personal obligations. Other potential reforms to the Resources Safety Acts have been debated that would essentially bring them into line with the recently amended WHS Act, including in relation to the introduction of an industrial manslaughter offence. There has also been a number of serious safety incidents in the Queensland mining sector which has meant that the Mines Inspectorate is on high alert. This paper will discuss the amendments, proposed reforms and regulatory environment in the current climate, including providing insights into current industry issues.

Dr. Daniel Bongers Chief Technology Officer, SmartCap Technologies Operator fatigue monitoring has been embraced in mining operations worldwide, with one glaring exception – Queensland Coal Operations. Why? Legislation requires workforce consent when introducing any initiative that the incorporates a criteria of assessment of a coal mine worker’s fitness for duty. This presentation will detail an early 2019, two-site initiative to navigate this process, with a particular focus on workforce engagement, the communication process, consultation with workforce representation, concerns, challenges, and results.

Ben Carnell Principal Consultant, Sentis Accurate and timely reporting of safety incidents is a crucial component of a positive safety culture. These invaluable learning opportunities allow us to adapt, make improvements and prevent future injury. Yet, recent Australian data has found that on average, 31% of incidents go unreported and in some organisations this figure rises as high as 53%*. And it’s not just frontline workers failing to report; leaders and managers also underreport at alarming rates. Session outcomes:

• Explore insights from a global research study of 12,460 participants, including mining specific results and case studies
• Discover underreporting rates across team, leader and management levels
• Understand the three key drivers of underreporting and the risks to your business
• Learn strategies for addressing underreporting in your business

*based on a sub-sample of 6,899 participants in Australia.

INNOVATION AWARDS 2019

The aim of this Award is to recognise creative and practical solutions to safety and occupational health problems and to promote their application across the Australian Resources Industry. The Ten Finalists selected prior to the Conference, will present their Innovations during Monday afternoon’s Session. The Winners will be announced at the Conference Dinner on Wednesday evening. There are three Award Categories:

• Winner – as judged by the Industry Judging Panel
• People’s Choice – as judged by the Conference Delegates
• Highly Commended – combined vote count of the Judging Panel and the Conference Delegates

Award Prize The Winner will have the opportunity to nominate one person associated with the development of the Innovation to attend the A + A Trade Exhibition in Dusseldorf in November as a guest of our sponsor uvex safety Australia. The Winner will also receive the Queensland Mining Industry Innovation Award Trophy and a Framed Certificate. The Winners of The People’s Choice and Highly Commended Awards will receive a Queensland Mining Industry Innovation Award Trophy and a Framed Certificate. In recognition of the work that goes into preparing each submission, the Conference Committee offers a concession on the registration fee to the principal presenter of an accepted Innovation. This Award Prize is Proudly Sponsored by uvex safety Australia

HEALTH PROGRAM AWARDS 2019

The aim of this Award is to recognise creative and practical solutions to personal and occupational health problems and to promote their application across the Resources Industry. Award Prize The Winning organisation will be announced at the Conference Dinner and will receive $3,000.00 towards the cost of attending a ‘Health’ related Conference of their choice and as approved by the Conference Committee. They will also receive a Perpetual Trophy, a Queensland Mining Industry Health Program Award Trophy and a Framed Certificate. This Award Prize is Proudly Sponsored by 4cRisk Occupational Health Services

Terry Crick Director, Customer Engagement and Strategy, Kognent During the 12 months to the end of September 2018, 169 people died from 152 fatal crashes involving heavy vehicles across Australia. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has developed and administers, in consultation with industry, the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) to improve safety, efficiency, and productivity. Under the changes HVNL that came into effect on October 1 2018, all parties have a primary duty to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the safety for their transport related activities. Unfortunately, far too many organisations across the mining industry believe they don’t have Chain of Responsibility (CoR) requirements as they don’t operate on public roads – they are wrong. So, how do the HVNL and CoR relate to our industry? Have you taken the time to consider how equipment, supplies, or even your workforce get to your site? It’s likely they are being transported to site on a vehicle over 4.5 tonnes (gross vehicle mass) which would equal legal liability to the organisation and the individuals playing role/s under the CoR involved in that transport-related activity. CoR compliance is imperative to greater safety across your transport-related activities.

Assoc. Prof. Geoff Dell Head of Transport and Safety Science Courses, Central Queensland University Accidents and injuries in Australia are at epidemic proportions, the annual direct costs to the economy are now over $80 billion and the associated long term social impacts and suffering of individuals and their families are immeasurable. Clearly, existing strategies and interventions are at best holding back the flood gates and there is a need to re-think the problem and devise new and more effective programs and solutions. The high consequence low probability (HCLP) industries, like the airlines and rail, have contributed only 0.4% to these costs. So, what are the lessons from the HCLP industries which could inform effective intervention in the others? One of the key differences between HCLP industries and others is in the way safety management is regulated, especially in relation to safety management systems, their content, implementation and effectiveness. This paper will present a clear picture of the accident and injury epidemic and contrast the key differences in the way LCHP industries typically manage safety and respond to issues, hazards and incidents. It will also offer some reasons why this epidemic may have evolved and yet largely remained under the radar of government and industry leaders and provide some guidance for the future of accident prevention and regulation in order to deliver a step change reduction in accident and injury occurrence.

Ravindu Goonawardene Geology Geotechnical Superintendent Chris Crosby Surrey Superintendent, Anglo American Grosvenor Mine The risk of fatalities due to roof and rib failures is still prevalent in underground coal mines which highlights the fundamental importance of monitoring roof and ribs in underground roadways. Monitoring strata deformation and convergence in underground roadways is a key metric for measuring instability of excavations. Visual inspections, tell tales, extensometers and instrumented bolts are some of the methods used to quantify strata deformation. The significant limitations of the current methods only provide a point-measurement along the roadway. Using laser technology allows the mine to scan and measure large regions of roof and ribs across continuous regions with millimetre accuracy. The Maptek SR3 laser scanner has been used as a control during the rib optimisation trial at Grosvenor. This technology provides a baseline scan and subsequent scans to ascertain the extent of deformation throughout the active development mining areas. Thus, allowing geotechnical engineers to assess the adequacy of the trialled support system. Moreover, this technology allows geotechnical engineers to better analyse geological anomalies (fault orientations, dips, throw), bolting tolerances and excavation dimensions in an effective manner.

Joel Gray Senior Mining Engineer – Operations, Cannington Mine, South32 Several paste backfill bulkhead failures over the space of 12 months demanded that paste inrush risk at Cannington be re-evaluated. The resulting risk assessment led to the introduction of a set of new operating rules for high risk filling conditions to ensure safer use of the popular backfill method at the mine. This paper will talk operators through the high potential incidents which occurred, the primary causes and the risk assessment which followed. Implementable actions utilised at Cannington are shared, while challenging other operations to consider their own current level of risk with regards to the use of paste backfill.

Mathew Haddrick Site Safety and Health Representative Brent McKay BMA Saraji Mine The mining industry has historically managed fatigue in an ad hoc fashion. A majority of leaders simply told their employees to “toughen up and deal with it” this is all part of the job. The slightly better leaders would encourage their employees to focus on sleep and preparing for work when they were away from the job. Most employees accepted that they were paid well and “being tired is simply part of the job and why they get the big bucks”. This presentation will focus on the journey Saraji mine travelled to develop our current fatigue culture, procedures and education materials. Currently the site has a solid process, a good education program, and strong tools for managing fatigue. The current culture has improved but it is a long journey and many employees still haven’t embraced the fatigue policy fully. The journey was initiated by the site SSHR, through bipartisan support of Management, incorporating key work force participation. Site was able to learn and understand that our miners were struggling throughout the shift and were exposing themselves and other road user to an increased risk of a fatigue related accident. This presentation will share some details on the journey Saraji has embarked on to achieve a common objective of reducing fatigue related events.