January 12, 2026
The Mining and Energy Union was shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Jeffery Palmer on 2 January at Mammoth Underground mine in Queensland in an apparent roof collapse. We extend our deepest condolences to Jeff’s loved ones and workmates as shockwaves from this tragedy continue to reverberate through our mining communities.
With the recovery operation completed last week, our focus is now on supporting the workforce and investigating exactly what has occurred. We acknowledge and thank all involved in this emergency and recovery for their incredible dedication and effort in extremely tough circumstances, including Mammoth and Queensland Mines Rescue Service crews.
Stephen Watts, Queensland District ISHR will lead our investigation into this tragic incident, while General Vice President and ISHR Stephen Smyth has identified other mines with similar mining practices relating to place change panels and will schedule urgent inspections at those sites. Additionally, he has requested documentation from similar sites, in order to undertake a review to determine what safeguards are in place.
While the ongoing investigation remains deeply complex, our ISHR’s are dedicated to ensuring all the evidence and data associated with the event is thoroughly and professionally reviewed.
In the meantime, it is vitally important that all coal mine workers ensure they maintain their vigilance while undertaking any activity involving strata support, and that all supervisors and ERZ Controllers are undertaking all required inspections and performing any action required to ensure the health and safety of the coal mine workers they’re responsible for.
All mines have a process for dealing with OHS matters, including directly with supervisors, ERZ Controllers, OCE’s or others within the management structure. However, if you feel you are being put at risk, or that OHS matters at your site are not being adequately resolved, we strongly encourage you to contact your Site or Industry Safety and Health Representatives.
All coal mine workers must ensure you remain vigilant and never fear speaking out or stopping work if it is unsafe. The loss of one life is already too great a cost.
Know your rights around mine safety – excerpt from the Coal Mine Safety and Health Act 1999 (Queensland):
274 Where coal mine worker exposed to immediate personal danger
(1) Subject to section 273(2) and (3), if a coal mine worker (the original worker) believes that there is immediate personal danger, the worker has the right—
(a) to remove themself to a position of safety; and
(b) to refuse to undertake a task allocated to the worker that may place the worker in immediate personal danger.
275 Representations about safety and health matters
(1) This section applies to a person who is—
(a) a coal mine worker; or
(b) another person with obligations under this Act; or
(c) an employee of a person mentioned in paragraph (b).
(2) The person may make, either personally or by a representative, a representation to an inspector or inspection officer about—
(a) an alleged contravention of this Act; or
(b) a thing or practice at the coal mine that is, or is likely to be, dangerous.
(3) The inspector or inspection officer must investigate the matter.
275AA Protection from reprisal
(1) A person must not cause, or attempt or conspire to cause, detriment to another person because, or in the belief that, the other person—
(a) has made a complaint, or in any other way has raised, a coal mine safety issue; or
(b) has contacted or given help to an official in relation to a coal mine safety issue.
Resources Safety and Health Queensland have released the following notice in response to the incident:
Learnings
- Due to the roof collapse being above the bolted zone, underground operators are urged to review their specific mine’s support design following this tragic event.
- Design and construction of strata support is critical to prevent roof falls and must be based on the geological and geotechnical data for each site and the specific area of each mine.
- Mine operators should ensure that the appointed Site Senior Executive (SSE) and Underground Mine Manager at their underground coal mines take action to ensure risks relating to ground or strata failure are appropriately mitigated. Steps include reviewing the Principal Hazard Management Plan for ground or strata failure to ensure it is effective and ensuring that operators are providing the resources necessary to reduce risk to an acceptable level and to be as low as reasonably achievable. This also includes a review of the support design and advice from appropriate specialist expertise (e.g. geotechnical engineer).
- Strata failures, including in outbye areas, of underground coal mines can and have caused fatalities in Queensland. All incidents involving strata failure should be reported and thoroughly investigated.
- SSEs should review recommendations from previously issued RSHQ Safety Alerts, including:
- Safety Alert 435: Support system failure and strata fall in main drift at an underground coal mine
- Safety Alert 418: Roof bolt nuts
- Safety Alert 396: Fatality resulting from a fall of ground at an underground coal mine
- Safety Bulletin 148: 4 bolt primary roof support patterns