$310K fine for mining contractor over coal mine worker death

In Queensland, a mining contractor whose breach of obligations caused the death of a coal mine worker has been fined $310,000 (with no conviction recorded).

The incident occurred on 25 March 2022, when the coal mine worker was killed when he was struck by a torque arm attached to a conveyor at an underground coal mine.

Two key obligations in the mine’s safety and health management system were not complied with by the contractor. These were:

1. to conduct a job risk assessment for the task because no safe work procedure existed for the task, and
2. to involve a dogger in the job risk assessment given the task involved lifting.

The contractor’s failure caused the death of the coal mine worker, Queensland’s Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor said.

The contractor was sentenced in the Emerald Magistrates Court on 23 June 2026 for breaching its obligation to comply with the mine’s safety and health management system, contrary to section 34(b)(i) and 43(1)(b) of the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 (Qld).

The contractor was also ordered to pay $53,372.04 in reasonable costs of the investigation to Resources Safety and Health Queensland and $1601.40 in professional and filing costs.

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