Mine stops work after second death on site

The Queensland mining regulator has effectively stopped most operations at a Queensland coal mine after two fatalities occurred on site within weeks of each other.

A male worker at Byerwen Mine was killed on Thursday when two vehicles, including a truck, collided in the Bowen Basin about 160km west of Mackay.

Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) ordered the mine to suspend the use of all heavy vehicles at the coal mine after the second fatal incident.

The mining regulator sent staff from its coal division and Serious Incident Investigation Unit to the mine shortly after Thursday’s fatal accident.

Police handed the site over to RSHQ on Friday morning to investigate and take regulatory action, which included suspending the use of all heavy vehicles.

RSHQ chief executive officer Rob Djukic said QCoal has also chosen to suspend operations at the mine.

“But we’ve taken this extra step to ensure activities involving heavy vehicles cannot take place until our inspector is satisfied that it is safe to do so,” he said.

“We need to allow the mine to continue with some activities because it would be unsafe if it were to cease operating suddenly.

“We haven’t ruled out further action so our inspectors will continue to assess the site in the coming days.

“It’s disheartening and concerning to see a second fatality in less than a month at Byerwen.

“We want to assure affected workers, friends and families that we are conducting a thorough investigation and are committed to taking appropriate action.”

The mine’s decision to cease operations is separate to any regulatory action by RSHQ.

Emergency crews were called to the mine shortly after 1pm on Thursday.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman confirmed the worker died from critical injuries at the scene of the industrial traffic incident at the Wollombi Rd site.

The incident comes about three weeks after mine worker Chris Schloss, 48, suffered fatal injuries after he was struck by a crane at Byerwen Mine on August 3.

The father of five was pronounced dead at QCoal workers’ accommodation camp at Suttor, southwest of Mackay.

QCoal group executive James Black said Ms Schloss’s death was a “devastating loss” for all staff.

“Chris has been part of the QCoal family for many years and has been integral in developing Byerwen since its launch,” Mr Black said.

“Our thoughts are with Chris’s wife Amanda, his children and all their family at this terrible time.

“The death of such a long-serving, senior and well-loved member of the QCoal team has obviously left us shocked.

“His family is coming to terms with the worst news you can possibly hear, and we are helping them through this tragedy.”