News

Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis (CWP) committee chair Jo-Ann Miller tabled interim findings from her six-month inquiry into the re-emergence of black lung, slamming the Mines Department, Queensland Health, medical professionals, mine operators and Workcover Queensland.

The committee found evidence so far suggested “a massive systemic failure across the entirety of the regulatory and health systems intended to protect coal industry workers.”

Department of Natural Resources and Mines

• Did not administer health and safety acts to protect workers with respect to coal mine dust
• Mines Inspectorate did not monitor mine operators in relation to dust
• Health Surveillance Unit was overwhelmed with records which were not assessed and were kept in a janitor’s cupboard and shipping containers

Queensland Health

• Black lung was not a primary concern

Mine operators

• Some quickly acknowledged re-identification of black lung
• Others avoided or blame shifted
• Some did not comply with statutory responsibilities, eg regular and gross exceedances of dust limits

Medical professionals

• Chest X-rays of poor quality, not properly read

WorkCover

• Approved a CWP claim in 2006 but did not alert Mines Department