That was the message from Coal Services CEO Lucy Flemming to the NSW Mining Health, Safety, Environment & Community Conference. 

She said the only case of pneumoconiosis to arise in decades in NSW was mixed dust-crystalline silica and coal dust, in an open cut coal miner with more than 30 years’ experience in industry.

Of the 23 confirmed cases of coal workers pneumoconiosis coming out of Queensland, several had worked in open cut coal mines.

In 2016 the percentage of exposure results collected from NSW coal mine workers by Coal Services that exceeded the occupational exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica reduced by 5.1% on the previous year to 8.2%.

However, in open cut mines the percentage of results exceeding the occupational exposure limit rose 3.5% over the same period to reach 5.9% of all results collected.

Health research has confirmed that respirable crystalline silica is much more likely to be harmful to workers’ health than coal dust, according to Coal Services. 

Respirable crystalline silica is an issue that affects many industries and has been identified as an emerging issue for those involved in demolition work, tunnelling, quarry work, air-polishing concrete, foundry work, bricklaying, stone masonry and the making of glass and ceramics.

“What will make the NSW coal industry different is that it has a very robust collaborative model working closely with all industry stakeholders and a strong track record of protecting coal workers,” Flemming said.

“The NSW coal industry is in a unique position to be able to leverage this and it is important that we establish the ‘known and unknowns’ in front of us, and act now before we see more cases emerge.”

Flemming said Coal Services was working hard to provide leadership in regards to improving health surveillance and dust monitoring to deal with the issue of silica dust in open cut mines.

Historically there has been a data gap with respect to surface or open cut mining. 

Statutory dust monitoring has captured a limited amount of data but these trends have prompted the Coal Services Health & Safety Trust to fund research identifying which groups of surface miners are at highest risk of respirable coal dust and crystalline silica exposure and to quantify the levels of exposure.

The expectation is that this research will direct health surveillance programs tailored according to risk profiles. 

Flemming said workplace strategies should be focused on evidence-based education, controlling dust at the source and correct use of respiratory protection equipment by all workers. 

She said just because the dust could not be seen did not mean it was not there.

“We urge all mining companies to continue to work closely with us and all of NSW’s key stakeholders to identify the best ways to keep our miners safe against emerging dust diseases, specifically our open cut workers,” she said.

“Diseases due to respirable crystalline silica exposure such as silicosis, lung cancer and chronic obstructive lung diseases are entirely preventable and we as an industry owe it to workers to be vigilant and constantly seek out ways to make further improvements for monitoring, identifying areas of risk and the provision of dust mitigation controls and education.”