June 26, 2024
Mine worker safety was the order of the day at the annual Queensland District Site Safety and Health Representative conference held this month in Mackay.
SSHRs from across the state gathered for the week of discussions and lectures regarding the current state of safety in mine sites, hearing from a wide range of speakers including experts in spontaneous combustion, fatigue, psychosocial hazards and whole body vibration.
SSHRs also had the opportunity to share their experiences responding to accidents and high potential incidents on site, comparing standards and learning from each other. Keeping thorough notes was the most common piece of advice, as well as forming trusted relationships with your workmates so that they feel comfortable approaching you to raise issues.
One of the highlights of the event was Josh Jones, who was disabled in a tyre explosion at Dawson South in 2015 that took the life of his workmate. Josh spoke about the accident, the effect it had on his mental state, and the importance of maintaining good mental health at work from a safety perspective.
Also speaking was Professor Michael Quinlan, an internationally renowned expert on mine safety who developed the ’10 Pathways’ method of analysing and preventing mine fatalities. Professor Quinlan’s work has been adopted in part by the West Australian government in addition to several major mine operators.
Thank you to all our guest speakers, as well as our SSHRs who give up their personal time in order to keep our worksites safe.
