The being held in Townsville from August 14-17, has attracted close to 500 delegates and speakers and is being hosted by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC), the Department of Natural Resources and Mines (NR&M) and the major mining union the CFMEU.
Conference chair, Peter Dent, executive director - Health and Safety for NR&M, said the conference will also focus on the challenges ahead to further progress mine health and safety issues.
“It provides a forum for people from the board room to the coal face to network and exchange information on enhancing the health and safety of mine workers,” Dent said.
“To this end, the program also encourages innovation in safety and health with the annual Innovation Awards, promoted through the QRC, again being judged and presented at the conference.
A record number of innovations-from a mesh grabber that enables workers to remain clear of a hazardous work zone, to a health and well being project—will be judged. The winner will compete in the Minex national mine safety innovation awards run by the Minerals Council of Australia.
The awards promote ideas developed by miner workers that can be practically implemented on mine sites throughout Queensland.
Dent said the number of lost time injuries per million hours worked in the mining and quarrying sector improved from 20.2 in 1996 -97 to 4.6 in 2004-05.
“However we all have no doubt that much more can be achieved and all sectors of the industry are now urged to confront the real issues - the theme of this conference, and further progress towards our vision of ‘an industry free of injury and disease,’” he added.
