Minerals Mines and Quarries Respiratory Health Surveillance

Queensland mineral mines and quarry workers may be exposed to an extensive range of respiratory hazards, such as dust (e.g. silica), fumes and other substances. Occupational exposure to respiratory hazards can lead to a range of lung diseases, which can affect your lungs and ability to breathe. Not everyone will develop these diseases. The risk of disease is dependent on long term exposure or repeated high-level exposure. The more common types of respiratory diseases include:

• pneumoconiosis (CWP) (e.g. silicosis and siderosis)
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (e.g. chronic bronchitis and emphysema)
• asbestos-related conditions
• lung cancer
• occupational asthma.

Amendments to the Mineral Mines and Quarries Regulation 2017 that commenced on 1 September 2020 details a requirement for Queensland mineral mine and quarry workers undertake periodic medicals to identify any changes in lung function or the early signs of lung disease.

The maximum period of time between respiratory health surveillance must not be more than five years for current workers. The doctor undertaking or supervising your health monitoring may require more frequent assessments to keep a closer eye on aspects of your respiratory health.

Respiratory health surveillance is required for workers prior to commencing work in the mineral mines and quarry industry and then at least once every five years.

The medical examinations for respiratory health surveillance must include:

• a chest examination that includes listening to the lungs
• a chest X-ray dual-read by qualified radiologists to the international standard
• spirometry tests and comparisons with previous spirometry tests where available
• any examination deemed necessary by an appropriate doctor to support the early detection of injury or illness to the person’s respiratory system (e.g. high resolution computed tomography scan).

The Mineral Mines and Quarries Health Surveillance covers respiratory issues only and is for those working in mines other than coal and quarry workers. The Coal Mine Workers Health Scheme (CMWHS) is for coal mine workers only and covers other areas apart from respiratory health.

Yes. Smoking causes lung diseases, including most cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); makes chronic lung diseases more severe; and increases the risk for respiratory infections.

Retirees and former workers can request a free health assessment. More information can be found at https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/mining-energy-water/resources/safety-health/mining/medicals/mineral-mines-quarries-respiratory-health.

You can also discuss this with your General Practitioner or Specialist and WorkCover.

Personal protective equipment is a risk management tool but not a silver bullet. You will still be required to participate in the Mineral Mines and Quarries Health Surveillance program even if you wear PPE all the time.

Yes, the regulation outlines that the appropriate doctor is required to give you a copy of the report, an explanation and if you wish a doctor nominated by you can also get a report.

No, the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2017 has a general obligation for the health surveillance of a mine worker, if the site senior executive reasonably believes:

1. exposure to a hazard at the mine may cause, or result in, an adverse health effect; and
2. the health effect may happen under the worker’s work conditions; and
3. either—
   1. a valid technique capable of detecting signs of the health effect exists; or
   2. a valid biological monitoring procedure is available to detect changes from the current accepted values for the hazard.

Section 145D of the Regulation states that the employer of a worker, or the potential employer of a person who becomes a worker must pay for the health surveillance.

No, the requirement for health surveillance is on commencement in the industry and then at least every five years. As long as the worker has a valid certificate for health surveillance within the five year timeframe that is sufficient.

However the Regulation does detail a requirement for the site senior executive for a mine to ensure each worker at the mine is assessed to decide if the worker’s fitness level is adequate to enable the worker to carry out work at the mine without creating an unacceptable level of risk. This is mandated before a worker starts work or whenever the worker’s duties change.

Therefore, in practice a pre-employment or pre-deployment medical covering all requirements would be recommended. Chest X-rays and B-reads that have recently been done can be reused to avoid unnecessary chest X-ray.

The regulation requires Site Senior Executives to use an appropriate doctor to undertake, or supervise, health surveillance for workers at a mine or quarry. An appropriate doctor must be appropriately qualified and have demonstrated knowledge of the risks associated with activities performed by workers.

The guideline states that mine and quarry operators can achieve an acceptable level of risk by using doctors and medical providers registered with RSHQ. These doctors have demonstrated the required qualifications, experience and compliance with relevant standards and are the same doctors approved under the Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme. This will ensure that workers, whether they work in coal, minerals or quarries, receive high quality respiratory health surveillance.

Resile has a number of doctors registered with RSHQ.

While not legislated Resources Safety & Health Queensland (RSHQ) have developed respiratory health surveillance forms that align with the regulation and the guideline, these are recommended for use by doctors undertaking respiratory health surveillance.