The Queensland Parliament has passed the Resources Safety and Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, ushering in significant changes to safety and health regulations for the state’s mines, quarries, petroleum, gas, and explosives industries.
The new laws, which will be implemented over the next five years, aim to protect workers and improve safety standards across the resources sector.
They address the final recommendations from the Queensland Coal Mining Board of Inquiry, which investigated the 2020 Grosvenor mine explosion.
A key focus of the reforms is the implementation of critical controls, which were previously voluntary, to address serious risks on mine sites.
Under the new legislation, mine and quarry operators will be required to include critical controls in their safety and health management systems.
The amendments also introduce enforceable undertakings for the first time in the resources industry.
These undertakings provide an alternative to prosecution, allowing the regulator to accept commitments from individuals and companies that have breached safety and health regulations, except in cases involving workplace deaths.
Resources Safety and Health Queensland’s petroleum and gas inspectors will now have the power to compel relevant individuals to provide information or answer questions.
This change was a recommendation from the coroner’s inquest into the tragic death of Gareth Dodunski, a worker in the industry.
The reforms were informed by various reviews and inquiries, including the Brady Review into fatal accidents at Queensland mines, the Queensland Coal Mining Board of Inquiry, and the coronial inquest into Dodunski’s death, as well as industry consultation.
Resources and Critical Minerals Minister Scott Stewart emphasised the government’s commitment to worker safety, stating: “The most important thing to come out of any workplace at the end of each shift is its workers, and that is why safety is my number one priority.”
Stewart acknowledged the contributions of stakeholders, including the parents of Gareth Dodunski, Michelle and Phil, who shared their devastating loss during the Committee hearings.
The resources industry is a significant driver of the Queensland economy, and these reforms aim to ensure robust safety measures are in place while fostering a thriving sector.
