Mine safety regulator restricts BMA's Peak Downs Mine over unacceptable levels of risk

Operations at a central Queensland coal mine have been suspended after two trucks slid uncontrolled for more than 100 metres.

The incidents happened at BMA's Peak Downs Mine during a night shift at the weekend.

No one was injured, but the incidents sparked an investigation by Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ), with an inspector on site on Saturday.

In a document seen by the ABC, the investigator noted that in both incidents, the truck operators had less than six months' experience.

The Mine Record Entry directed that operations be suspended due to unacceptable levels of risk, whole of mine.

The suspension only applies to parts of the mine's operations, with some activity including the dragline and light vehicle use allowed to continue.

Ongoing concerns

The Mining and Energy Union and the Mines Inspectorate have raised concerns about significant incidents at Queensland coal mines in recent months. 

The union said there were 54 serious incidents between the start of the year and June, with a large portion being heavy machinery sliding down bund walls or shelves.

In the Mine Record of Entry, the inspectorate said it contacted one of the mine's senior site executives to raise concerns about how the risk of unplanned movement was being managed.

Inspector of Mines Paul Brown noted that on average a truck slide happened at the Peak Downs Mine every two weeks.

"In the past 12 months there had been 33 separate incidents involving mobile plant resulting in unplanned movements.

"Within this data, 24 of the movements involved rear dump trucks or articulated trucks."

In a statement, BMA said the trucks involved in the incidents were brought to a controlled stop in line with training and site procedures, and no one was injured.

"We are working with RSHQ and truck operations will recommence once we have completed all safety checks," the statement reads.

"Other operations are continuing as normal."

The suspension of operations will remain in place until the inspectorate determines that risks at the mine can be managed within acceptable limits.

'Living on luck'

Queensland Mining and Energy Union industry safety and health representative Jason Hill said a number of factors arose  from truck slides.

"It's easy to blame the operators and overwatering, but it comes back to the construction of the road, supplying proper training and adequate training," he said. 

Mr Hill said there was often a high level of pressure for people to perform outside of their skill set and ability to get a job done.

He said while truck slides were concerning, they weren't the only safety concern at the mine.

"This year alone they've had a number of significant incidents where there could have easily been a fatality," Mr Hill said.

Mr Hill said the union supported the partial suspension and noted that activities at the mine needed to continue to allow for rectification of the issues identified but called for the government to do more. 

"They need to go and have a look at the whole situation at Peak Downs and have a look through their whole system and why they have had so many repeated events ... and stop having incidents that put miners health and safety at risk," he said.

Mr Hill said the union had supplied a letter to the minister's office raising concerns about the number of safety incidents in the industry this year.

"Even though Peak Downs is mentioned here, it's an industry wide event that they need to be regulating tougher and harder," he said.