Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) has issued a stern warning to medical providers regarding the quality of medical screening for coal mine workers, following a recent audit that revealed substandard practices.

As part of an ongoing campaign to ensure the quality of spirometry testing, a medical practice has been suspended for six months due to unacceptable lung function test results.

The audit found that 30 per cent of the spirometry tests conducted by the provider did not meet minimum quality standards, impacting 135 workers.

The provider failed to conduct tests effectively, identify issues in the results, maintain accurate comments for correct interpretation, and repeat tests to the required level.

Patrick Jensen, RSHQ’s Director of Health Strategy and Compliance, emphasised the importance of protecting workers’ health and safety.

“We’re recommending all affected workers undergo repeat spirometry tests,” said Jensen.

While RSHQ aims to improve screening quality through education and advice, regulatory action will be taken when necessary.

ResHealth, a mandatory digital system for health assessments, has played a crucial role in ensuring the quality of medical examinations.

“ResHealth provides a centralised point for health assessment records, which has made the analysis of disease data easier and better allows us to conduct timely assessments of medical screening,” added Jensen.

The re-identification of black lung disease in Queensland in 2015 highlighted the critical nature of maintaining high standards in medical screening.

RSHQ is committed to working with medical providers to uphold these standards and protect the health of coal mine workers.