$800K enforceable undertaking for Maules Creek Coal Mine

The operator of Maules Creek Coal Mine, near Boggabri in north-western NSW, will spend over $800,000 in undertakings, following a collision between two trucks on a main haul road of the mine on 21 April 2018. An enforceable undertaking is a legally binding agreement proposed by a company following an alleged breach, which may be considered as an alternative to prosecution.

Following the rejection of an earlier proposal, Maules Creek Coal (MCCPL) submitted a new WHS enforceable undertaking, which the Resources Regulator has accepted, requiring the company to pay at least $803,613 including the delivery of safety and community projects at a minimum cost of $600,500.

Resources Regulator Executive Director Anthony Keon said MCCPL will undertake a range of safety and community projects that will provide tangible benefits to the workforce, the mining industry and the broader community.

“These include the delivery of a community-wide mental health initiative and donations to Narrabri Shire Interagency Group, the SES and Boggabri Hospital to fund a mental health ‘Community Connect Day’ and much needed emergency and life-saving equipment. These are important initiatives given the significant challenges faced by regional communities, especially in light of the impact of issues such as drought, bushfires and COVID19,” Keon said.

MCCPL, in partnership with the University of Queensland, will undertake a project to promote safe implementation of automation and new technologies to mine sites. Keon believes these shared learnings will help all operators better identify and manage the risks associated with introducing this emerging technology. The undertaking also includes the requirement to fund an Indigenous mentoring program and reimbursing the Regulator’s investigation and legal costs, and in total is the second-highest value mining work health and safety undertaking accepted in NSW.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Luis Sandoval M.