Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said the board was responsible for setting exams and issuing certificates of competency to people who want to work in statutory positions in the metalliferous and coal mining industries.

However, there have been a number of changes made to the way the eight-member board operates to ensure only qualified and competent people hold statutory positions managing safety and health at mines.

“These include new senior appointments to the board plus streamlined administrative processes to deliver more flexible and efficient arrangements for applicants to safety positions,” he said.

The new senior appointments to the board include; Gavin Taylor as chair and also chief inspector of coal mines for the department of Mines and Energy; and Doug White, who has returned to the department as deputy chief inspector of coal mines.

As chair of the Board of Examiners, Gavin Taylor is overseeing an extensive overhaul of administrative processes.

The streamlined administrative processes include: simpler forms for applicants to improve processing; greater flexibility in written examination arrangements; development of computerised processing; improved processes for mutual recognition grants of registration; and the availability of fee payment by credit card.

Wilson said many of these improvements are being progressed simultaneously whilst dealing with an increased number of applications as a result of the mining boom.

Wilson said another change would be implemented through the examination on Queensland’s mining safety and health legislation.

“We are revising and restructuring both written and practice examinations so that as well as providing a score for the completed examination, the result will also reveal any areas of topic strength or weakness,” he said.

A new automated workflow and document tracking system will also help processing of applications and produce speedier outcomes for applicants.

“Queensland has one of the safest mining industries in the world, both in terms of its safety record and safety legislation,” Wilson said.

“But we cannot become complacent, so we are continually striving to look at the way we do things and see where things may be improved.”