Published: January 16, 2024 |

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The mining safety regulator has begun an investigation after an employee was crushed to death at a central Queensland coal mine on Monday.

The 27-year-old man was working at southern section of the BMA Saraji Coal Mine located in the Bowen Basin, near Dysart, south-west of Mackay. The mine is owned by BHP.

A spokesperson for Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) confirmed the worker was crushed between a B-double and a ute at about midday, but said the details will be the subject of their investigation and therefore cannot yet be released.

He was one of two men working in the fuel-bay area of the open-cut mine when “an interaction between two vehicles left a 27-year-old coal mine worker with significant crush injuries,” the regulator said.

The worker was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries.

The RSHQ CEO, Rob Djukic, said they launched an investigation “as soon as we were notified of the incident”.

“We launched an investigation sending multiple investigators and inspectors from our serious incident investigation unit and coal inspectorate to the site,” Djukic said.

“We’re also working closely with [mine operator] BMA to find out what went wrong and prevent this from happening again,” Djukic added.

BMA ceased operations across all its sites on Monday.

The company conducted a safety stop overnight before reopening operations in the morning — except at Saraji, which remains shut down.

Counseling services have been made for employees and their families, with additional support deployed to the mine, and in Dysart.

The BMA asset president, Adam Lancey, said the company was “deeply saddened” by the incident.

“We are working closely with the mines inspectorate and relevant authorities. Our deepest sympathies are with the person’s family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time,” Lancey said.

The Mining and Energy Union Queensland district president, Mitch Hughes, told media on Tuesday the man worked in the maintenance area of the mine, but wasn’t sure what his particular role was at the time of his death. Union officials are assisting with the investigation, he said.

Dysart is a small town with fewer than 3,000 permanent residents but three mining camps.

Hughes said the tragedy would ripple through the small community and the mining industry.

“The [fly-in fly-out] Fifo and [drive-in drive-out] Dido workforce are established somewhat within the community. Because it’s a small town, things like these tragedies spread pretty quickly, and everyone feels it in some way,” Hughes said.

The Queensland Resources Council acting chief executive, Judy Bertram, said the sector is committed to workplace safety and would support investigations into the incident.

“The industry’s thoughts are with the family dealing with an unimaginable loss, and the friends, work colleagues and first responders involved,” Bertram said.

Source: Australian Associated Press

BHP Mitsubishi Alliance is an Australian coal mining company operating in Central Queensland. The largest coal producer in Australia, it is a joint venture with BHP and Mitsubishi each owning 50 percent. It was established in 2001. The BMA alliance operates seven mines in the Bowen Basin.

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