Why do you need it?
The Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme (formerly the Coal Board Medical) protects the health and safety of Queensland coal mine workers by ensuring they undergo periodic health assessments.
Under the scheme, employers must ensure that health assessments are carried out on each person they employ, or are intending to employ, as a coal mine worker.
How does it work?
Under the Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme health assessments are required:
- before a person starts work as a mine worker
- periodically, as decided by the employer’s Appointed Medical Advisor (AMA), but at least once every 5 years
- if the AMA decides it is necessary and
- after receiving a notice under section 49 of the Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017.
Resile has Appointed Medical Advisors (AMA) that assist a number of Queensland Mines and contractors.
The Health Assessment
The health assessment is overseen and reviewed by Resile’s AMAs.
ResHealth is the online medical system implemented by Resource, Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ). All medical assessments must be completed on ResHealth.
ResHealth contains four sections:
- Employer Section (previously Section 1) is completed by the employer. It includes information about the AMA, the employer, the worker’s position, and the health risks associated with employment.
- The Worker Section (previously Section 2) is completed by the worker. It documents the worker’s personal details as well as work and medical history information. Photo ID must be brought to the assessment.
- Examining Medical Officer (EMO) Section (Previously Section 3) is completed by examining medical officer and details clinical findings.
- Heath Assessment Report (HA) (Previously Section 4) is completed and signed by the AMA and details fitness for duty, work restrictions and requirements for a subsequent follow-up and assessment of the worker. Only this section is forwarded to the employer.
Retired and Former Workers
Retirees and former workers can request a free health assessment. More information can be found at: How the retired and former worker assessment works | Business Queensland
FAQs
The Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme (CMWHS) on ResHealth has 4 sections:
- Employer section (previously Section 1) is completed by your employer. It includes information about the Appointed Medical Advisor (AMA), the employer, your job position and the health risks associated with the role.
- Employee Section (previously Section 2) is completed by yourself (the employee). It documents all of your personal details, as well as your working and medical history information. Photo ID is required at the assessment.
- Examining Doctor (Previously Section 3) is completed by an Examining Medical Officer (EMO) this is where clinical findings, chest x-ray results and spirometry test results from your assessments is documented.
- Health Assessment (your health assessment report) (Previously Section 4) is completed and signed off by the AMA. This specifies your fitness for duty, work restrictions and requirements for a subsequent follow up and assessment. This is the only section of your health assessment that will get sent to your employer.
For information and helpful videos on ResHealth Process (Resources Safety and Health Queensland) including obtaining a QGov account , please visit
- Worker overview – *Watch the video or *Download the worker registration process
- Finding information in your ResHealth account – *Watch the video
- Completing your health assessment – *Watch the video
Self-employed worker registration – *Download the sole trader registration process
The Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme (CMWHS) is to protect the health and wellbeing of Queensland coal mine workers. It is regulated by the Queensland Government, Resources Safety & Health Queensland under the Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017.
The health assessment helps detect early symptoms and health changes for diseases like coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP), also known as ‘Black Lung’ and silicosis. It also helps determine your fitness to work safely. It is a requirement to undergo compulsory health assessments, at least every 5 years.
The Health Assessment Report (previously Section 4) is your health assessment report and provides advice to you and your employer regarding fitness for duty. This is completed considering your physical exam, chest x-ray results and spirometry test results.
You need a completed HA in order to work in a coal mine in Queensland.
Your employer can only view your HA. All other medical information contained within the completed assessment is protected by legislation and can only be released with your written consent. All medical information is required to be submitted to the department of Resources, Safety and Health Queensland for record-keeping.
Yes, the regulation outlines that the AMA 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.
All completed health assessment and exit assessment forms (including the health assessment reports) are the property of Resources Safety & Health Queensland (RSHQ). The confidentiality of these forms and reports are protected by law.
RSHQ can release copies of completed forms and reports to:
- the worker, or another person with the consent of the worker
- a doctor or hospital without the coal mine worker’s consent if the information is needed to treat the worker and the worker is unable to give consent
- to a person, such as a doctor, without the coal mine worker’s consent to enable the person to carry out an assessment or review (this is limited to certain information such as spirometry only for comparative assessment of spirometry)
- an appropriately qualified person for approved research (i.e. approved by a Human Research Ethics Committee under the Public Health Act 2005 or similar body) without the coal mine worker’s consent.
If you require documentation related to a CMWHS (including your Section 4, Chest X-Ray report, B-Read report, medical assessment forms), you can contact Resource Health and Safety Queensland (RSHQ) (Obtaining copies of medicals | Business Queensland) and access this information free of charge.
All medical information contained within the results is protected by legislation and can only be released with written consent. Your Employer will receive a copy of the HA Report, Resources Safety and Health Queensland hold all information in ResHeallth, your AMA is required to keep a full copy of your Health Assessment.
An Examining Medical Officer (EMO) is the doctor that completes your physical examinations and completes the Examination Section (formerly section 3) in ResHealth.
An Appointed Medical Advisor (AMA) is the doctor that reviews your health assessment and completes the HA Report.
Both the Appointed Medical Adviser (AMA) and Examining Medical Officer (EMO) are approved by Resources, Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ). Only those doctors certified by RSHQ can undertake these roles.
No. Employers are responsible to pay for the coal mine worker’s health assessment and exit assessment (for eligible retiring workers).
Medical assessments are required at least every 5 years for the oldest component or more frequently as determined by the AMA.
Renewal – 5 yearly full assessment
Review (or subsequent assessment) – short review for a specific health concern or to keep close monitoring on an aspect of your health.
An ERT Emergency Response Team assessment is for Emergency Response Team members, and is required every 2 years for those up to the age of 40, and every year for employees over 40. An ERT medical includes an assessment of cardiovascular fitness via a VO2 Max test.
A standard CMWHS assessment is required every 5 years.
Lots of Coal Mine Workers need a review/subsequent assessment. This can be for many reasons, to keep a closer eye on your health so you remain fit for work or because there is a respiratory examination (spirometry or chest x-ray) finding that the AMA is required by the Mine Dust Lung Disease Clinical Pathways Guideline | Resources Safety & Health Queensland (rshq.qld.gov.au) to ask for further assessment.
Chest x-rays are a requirement for all workers under the Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme. You must attend the radiology clinic indicated on your referral form. Similar to GP clinics, radiology practices must be registered to work in the Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme and meet certain quality requirements. It is important you do not go somewhere else. If you do, you will have to pay for any additional costs associated with attending any radiologist other than the one specified on your referral.
Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) is from the range of mine dust lung diseases (MDLD) and is considered a job-related illness. This is caused by long-term exposure to respirable coal dust, generated amid mining and quarrying activities.
Mine dust lung disease (MDLD) typically takes several years to develop – commonly 10 years or more and can include a range of occupational lung conditions, including:
- coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP), or ‘Black lung’
- silicosis
- asbestosis
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- lung cancer.
MDLD is diagnosed by Respiratory Physicians, if you have certain triggers in your assessment (defined by RSHQ) the AMA is required to refer you to a respiratory physician.
It is your responsibility as the employer to arrange and pay for the health assessments of all Coal Mine Workers that you employ or intend to employ.
A complete assessment is required every 5 years. The AMA may require assessment at short timeframes for specific concerns (Review or Subsequent Assessment).
Emergency Response Team (ERT) members require full assessments every 2 years or annually if they are over 40.
As the employer, you will need to complete the Employer Section on ResHealth of the Coal Mine Workers’ Health Assessment. This section specifies information about the Appointed Medical Officer (AMA) and the employer, including important information on the employee’s role and similar exposure groups (SEGs). All this information is required prior to the Examining Medical Officer (EMO) being able to conduct the medical assessment.
The legislation requires a new assessment on change of employer. However, an AMA can decide if they are happy to use previous components. Please contact us to discuss your specific situation.
Yes, if they are due a full medical we will arrange it, and the AMA will sign off on this. If the next assessment is a review, we will need consent from the worker to obtain and view the last full assessment. We would then work with the coal mine worker to complete the review.
The AMA can use components from previous medicals, consent is required from the coal mine worker (CMW) to obtain the previous whole assessment.
Yes. Employers pay for the coal mine workers’ health assessments and exit assessments (for eligible retiring workers).
