A new minerals and quarries inspector will hit the beat from Mount Isa to help protect mine workers.
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Acting Mines Minister Mark Ryan said the new inspector was the first of four new recruits to boost the ranks of the state's mine and quarry inspectors to 46.
"The safety and the health of our 70,000 resource workers is paramount and our mine inspectors need to be close to where the mines are," Mr Ryan said.
"Two out of three of our inspectors are in regional Queensland because that's where most of the mines are."
Mr Ryan didn't name the new Mount Isa based inspector but said she came with strong mining engineer credentials including 13 years' experience as a Geotechnical Engineer in Queensland and South Africa.
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"Our resources industry is world-class and this demands strong, contemporary skills from our inspectors to work with industry and workers to enhance safety," Mr Ryan said.
The inspector is due to commence in her new role in Mount Isa on Monday, February 3.
Another three more recruits will join the regional team of inspectors in the coming fortnight in Mackay and Rockhampton.
"Having most of our inspectors in the regions gives workers and the industry more efficient access to our inspectors and more inspectors to help keep our mine and quarry works safe," Minister Ryan said.
"That's critical to implementing this Government's current and upcoming health and safety reforms."
Those reforms include:
- Better detection and prevention of black lung, and an improve safety net for affected workers.
- Increased maximum penalties and powers for the regulator powers to issue fines without going to court.
- Statewide safety reset sessions mine and quarry workers to refocus on health and safety
- $35 million to deliver reforms to improve the safety and health of our mine workers
- a commitment to tighter controls on mine dust levels
- Legislation to go to Parliament this year make industrial manslaughter an offence, as it is in other Queensland workplaces
- Legislation already before the Parliament to establish an independent resources health and safety authority.
- Potential further reforms to flow from two independent reviews to be tabled in the first 2020 sitting of Parliament next month.
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