Bob McCarthy, director-general of the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, welcomed Bell to the position saying he had a wealth of experience in mines rescue and issues surrounding the role of inspectors in mining.

“Stewart’s experience makes him ideally suited to following through the current direction we are taking to bring mine safety activities into a broader health and safety context. He will be responsible for implementing the findings of the recent review of the Mines Inspectorate, a role he has been acting in for the last four months.”

Prior to the appointment Bell headed up the state’s Safety in Mining Testing and Research Station (Simtars), which is responsible for statutory testing of new equipment for mines, as well as a host of other research projects. Bell has been involved with Simtars since its inception and has overseen the revenue growth of the scientific services function to its current level – the highest level of self-funding of any Queensland government laboratory.

For the last 12 months, he was also chair of the Queensland Mines Rescue Technical Advisory Committee, ensuring the technical components of mines rescue are benchmarked at world standards.

He has 25 years of experience in scientific assessment and over the last 15 has focused on issues related to chemical, gas and dust problems associated with coal and metal mines. Most recently he was project leader of a major ACARP funded project to test jet engines as inert gas generators for coal mine fire control, as well as being involved in the ongoing mines rescue vehicle research project.