The State Government has set up an independent body to oversee the health and safety of Queensland miners.
Speaking after Parliament passed legislation, Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the resources workers could now rely on an organisation with one job – keeping them safe at work.
“The new Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) will be 100 per cent focussed on workers,” he said.
“It will be totally separate from the government’s broader function of growing and facilitating mining and exploration projects and the resources sector as a whole.
“When RSHQ kicks off, 70,000 resources workers will have their own health and safety champion.”
The new authority will regulate the safety and health of the State’s minerals, coal, petroleum and gas, quarry, small scale mining and explosives workers.
It will consist of almost 90 inspectors, the Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station (Simtars) and the Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme.
The CEO will report directly to the Minister and be required to have a professional qualification relevant to the resources industry and professional experience in the resources sector.
The new authority will be up and running from July 1.
