This follows a horror month which saw 27 of its employees checking into hospital with gas related complaints.

The Queensland government’s acting chief inspector of coal mines and senior regional inspectors have visited the mine to review progress Thiess has made in implementing the plan, a mines spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines told ILN.

A senior mines inspector and a departmental hygienist are also working with Collinsville mine management to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

“The coal seam at the Collinsville mine is prone to spontaneous combustion because of intrusions and minerals such as iron pyrites found in the surrounding geology,” the spokesperson said.

“The Collinsville mine action plan is in response to the directive issued by the Queensland Government Mines Inspectorate to the mine on 24 February 2012. This directive remains in place.”

The directive instructs the mine operator to take steps to reduce potential risks to workers associated with exposure to toxic and flammable gas at the mine.

It requires the mine operator to review the site safety and health management system in respect to the development and implementation of a plan to further mitigate the risk of gas-related incidents and heating of exposed coal seams.

Thiess is currently putting in place additional gas monitoring equipment as part of the action plan response.