In a safety bulletin issued yesterday, the Department of Mines and Energy executive director of Safety and Health Stewart Bell pointed out that all the fatalities were the result of machinery interaction.

“Implementation and use of proximity type systems must be accelerated as a priority into mines’ safety management systems,” Bell said.

“This technology is maturing rapidly and soon we will be mandating the use of this type of equipment in high hazard areas.”

The fatalities referenced in the safety bulletin included the August 18 quarry accident when a contract boilermaker was fatally struck while removing a pin from a hydraulic ram on a hopper door attached to a mobile crusher; and the September 29 incident on an exploration site when a contractor was fatally injured by a water truck that rolled back and crushed him after he got out of the truck to close a gate.

In February a contract electronics technician in a light vehicle collided with the rear of a low loader, suffering fatal injuries, and most recently on May 19 a mine worker drove his mucking unit into a stope and was killed.

From 2004 to May this year there have been six deaths related to vehicle-pedestrian interaction in Queensland mines.

“This performance is a sad reflection on our industry and one that the Mines Inspectorate finds unacceptable. These deaths were all preventable,” Bell said.

“They demonstrate that the industry is failing to give safety and health sufficient priority.

“While there is no single solution to these problems, engineered hazard and risk control systems, such as proximity detection systems and automation, must be seen as the preferred means to reduce this unacceptable fatality count.”

Bell said safe operating procedures and safe working instructions “must not be token documents that bear no relation to the real work and real hazards that may be present”