Black Lung disease hits Australian open-cut mines

Australia’s first case of Black Lung disease in an open-cut mine worker has been confirmed, placing mining communities on high alert.

The affected person worked at BHP Billiton’s Goonyella Riverside Mine in Central Queensland’s Bowen Basin.

The worker, Paul Head, has spent 31 years working as an open-cut coalminer but has never worked underground. Throughout his career, he had only ever received one chest X-ray when he first started working in the mines.

CFMEU Mining and Energy Division Queensland District President Stephen Smyth said workers and communities across the country are now at risk.

“It’s a myth that miners working in open-cut mines are not exposed to high levels of coal dust or at risk of developing irreversible and fatal Black Lung and other dust-related diseases,” said Smyth.

“So far, industry and governments have been assuming this problem is isolated to underground mines — we now know this is a false assumption.”

The union is urging mining companies to immediately address dust levels in all coalmines and keep dust levels below legal limits.

A 2012 study of surface coalminers in the US found that one in 50 workers had developed coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, or Black Lung. Due to the similarities between the United States and Australian mining, it is estimated this figure would be comparable in Australia.

“The current legal dust exposure limits in Queensland are insufficient and are also not being appropriately monitored to prevent excess dust exposure,” said Smyth.

“Mining companies in Queensland have allowed dust levels in the mines to spike often well above these legal limits with no regard for the health of the miners.”

Smyth said that this new case of Black Lung disease is a warning to mine operators in other states with open-cut coalmines, especially in NSW and Victoria.

“This should put all governments on notice — Black Lung disease is not just a threat to coalminers working in underground mines in Queensland, but to miners at all coalmines across Australia,” he said.

“This also underlines the importance of an industry levy to support a victims’ fund, given the national significance of the issue.”