3 years of RSHQ inaction since Grosvenor Explosion on a Recognised Standard for Spontaneous Combustion in Coal Mines

With the 3 year anniversary of the Grosvenor Explosion rapidly approaching (6th May) there is a distinct lack of action regarding developing and publishing a Recognised standard for the monitoring and control of spontaneous combustion in coal mines.

It is also nearly 2 years since the Grosvenor Board of Inquiry recommended the Recognised Standard

Recommendation 10

Resources Safety & Health Queensland takes steps, through the consultative process provided by the Coal Mining Safety and Health Advisory Committee, to ensure that a Recognised standard based on best practice is developed for the monitoring and control of spontaneous combustion in underground coal mines.

The only action that seems to have been taken is to actually name who is on the tripartite working group.

The Business Queensland website which was last updated on the 6th March 2023 is the only Qld Government reference that I can locate that makes any mention of a Spontaneous Combustion Recognised Standard. Why there is no mention of it on the RSHQ webpages  is beyond my understanding.

https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/mining-energy-water/resources/safety-health/mining/legislation-standards/recognised-standards/rstwg

There is nothing to say when the Committee actually commenced and how many times if any the Group has met.

There is no mention of any progress or likely timeframes for consultation drafts let alone publishing anything.

The page just notifies who is on the committee.

In a lot of ways the lack of action and make up of the Committee epitomizes all that is wrong with the Regulatory oversight in Queensland.

The majority did not start their mining career in Queensland and many appear to have received statutory tickets only under mutual recognition.

Very few have ever actually been employed as a production and engineering worker.

A number have either been employed at the respective mines as Senior Management or consultants tied up in the fiascos at Grosvenor and North Goonyella.

What information will they work with?

The still secret RSHQ Investigations and SIMTARS Reports into North Goonyella, Grosvenor.

What about the other less public spontaneous combustion events such as previous North Goonyella heatings, Carborough Downs, Cook Colliery and Ensham to name a few?

The absolute secrecy that surrounds any RSHQ Investigation is one thing.

The lack of action and just dragging any changes out into the never never is disgusting and unacceptable.

It is now 3 years since the Grosvenor 5 suffered horrific life threatening burns and yet nothing has changed.

It would only have required an extra cubic metre or so of methane exploding on the face at Grosvenor for all five to be fatalities.

Yet what have those with political and regulatory responsibility done.

It appears next to nothing.

It is not that hard to do surely.

We have known for decades that the presence of Ethylene is “BAD, VERY, BAD” and you now have an active heating and workers should be withdrawn to the surface.

No matter what indicator gasses and ratios and what you put in your TARP’s you use. actively detecting for spontaneous combustion and taking mandated proactive, practical and real steps has to occur.

The only reason the various levels are mandated is to actually be able to force those with responsibility to take the actions required in the TARP and PHMP.

Actually properly designing the mines ventilation system would be a good start.

Maybe even actually properly draining the methane from the relevant coal seams.