Different standards add risk to contractor safety

The Mining and Energy Union says the employment system is prejudicial and needs to be changed to make contracting a safer occupation. There have been eight deaths on coal mine sites since 2020. Four have occurred so far this year. Seven of those were contractors, MEU Industry Safety and Health Representative Stephen Watts said. Mr Watts’ job is a statutory position under the Queensland Coal Mining Act and allows for inspection of mines and detection of unsafe practices, investigation of complaints and serious accidents, and review of procedures among others. MEU Industry Safety and Health Representative Stephen Watts. A report on the recent Oaky North mine death on October 2 is pending. The management of contractors was second rate, Mr Watts said. “Like I said, we've got a lot more safety procedures, I wouldn't say that that makes things better,” he said. “We seem to be good at identifying hazards and identifying controls but at the coalface, unfortunately, a lot of the time these controls aren't actually put into place. “I believe that's an issue with supervision. Contractors, are not inherently unsafe people … The biggest issue for me is they don't have a platform to raise safety issues or to stop the job if it's unsafe.” The system worked against contractors, Mr Watts said. “The reason being, contractors are often employed on substandard insecure contracts. So, they've got the constant threat of being sacked sometimes with no notice or no reason given and they've got less access to unfair dismissal laws. “Some other reasons (are) they get less pay, they don't want to rock the boat. Quite often now, contractors are used as a stepping stone before getting a permanent job. “So mining companies are onboarding workers as contractors first for a year or so and have a good look at them before they'll employ them. They don't want to stick their neck out. They want that permanent job.” Contracting companies themselves were in a compromised position, Mr Watts said. “There're some other things like the overall client gratification for contractors. There's a constant threat of losing the contract. “Contractors often get less training. Training's a cost, and when you're not getting production efficiencies, training's often the first thing to be cut in the budget. “Contractors, they pay less. They pay sometimes 30 to 40 per cent less than permanent workers doing the same job. Obviously with less pay, you're going to have trouble attracting experienced workers. “So contractors, they often have less experienced workers and less experienced supervisors supervising those workers.” The rise in death and serious injury was in proportion to the decline in influence of the unions, he said. “Governments and mining companies have done a good job over the years of diminishing union presence at coal mines. And one method they've done that is by increasing the use of contractors. “So those are the reasons that contractors themselves have a less safe platform to do their work. “I still think the overall problem is the way contractors are managed, both internally by the contract companies, but also by the client, by the mining houses, how they manage their contractors that they have on their work sites. It's got a lot to be desired.”

Different standards add risk to contractor safety

Industry Queensland

Related News

Smooth running at Canyon-1H after bumpy start

Chatham boosts coffers to fast-track phosphate mining

Green energy venture looks to Qld with hole lotta love

Get access to breaking mining news, now.