Coal Mining Safety & Health Regulations

In April 2018, CPA Group advised of proposed and impending amendments to the Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017.

Please see attached article for background.

https://corporateprotect.com.au/update-on-coal-mining-safety-and-health-regulations/

Some Regulatory changes were effective immediately, and these included:

• clear articulation of health surveillance as a purpose of the Scheme
• increasing the minimum frequency of chest X-ray and spirometry examinations to at least once every 5 years for aboveground workers.

Further changes will take effect from March 1^st 2019. CPA Group and its clients are reminded to be aware of all amendments.

CPA Group Medical Director, Dr Scott Wilkinson has flagged the most significant changes and recommendations to note:

• All Mine Worker Health Assessments must be booked and completed at Approved Providers. Health Assessments from non-approved providers such as interstate medical centres unaware of the approval process, will be unacceptable.
• Lungscreen will now perform B-read reporting for all X-rays rather than University of Chicago in the US.
• Mines are encouraged to contact Lungscreen ASAP to arrange billing procedures for X-ray reports and to ensure workers are registered with Lungscreen.
• The term ‘NMA’ now changed to Appointed Medical Adviser or ‘AMA’

As major providers of medical, security and emergency services (fire & rescue) with over 20 coal mining clients in Queensland, CPA Group will continue to monitor changes in the regulatory environment to ensure our services are compliant and also to advise our clients as these changes may affect them.