Queensland mine mobile plant is controlled through the site safety and health management system, with different operating contexts for coal mines and metalliferous or quarry operations. A useful inspection report must show how the machine, its defects and its controls fit the Site Senior Executive’s risk management obligations.
Mining Inspection Australia inspects mobile plant across the Bowen Basin, Central Queensland, North Queensland and mineral operations. We adapt the scope to the machine duty, the mine’s recognised standards and the controls required before the asset is returned to work.
Queensland requirements
- Regulator
- Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) regulates mining and quarrying safety. WorkSafe Queensland remains relevant to general plant, workplace and high-risk work obligations outside the mining-specific framework.
- Mining regulations
- The Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017 and the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2017 sit beneath their respective Queensland Acts. They require risk-based control of plant, competent inspection and records within the mine’s safety and health management system.
- Registration and notification
- Queensland mine entry is not created by a blanket registration for every loader, truck or excavator. Prescribed high-risk plant may require design or item registration through the general WHS scheme, while coal and mineral mine acceptance, notification and competency evidence are managed through the site system and RSHQ requirements.
- Mobilisation
- Coal mine inspections are scheduled around the site’s isolation, coal mine induction and shift change controls. Mineral and quarry work is planned around access, wash-down, safe cleaning and any RSHQ or SSE documentation required before the machine enters the active work area.
State-specific inspection focus
- Coal mine SHMS
- The scope and defect categories are aligned with the coal operation’s safety and health management system and the Site Senior Executive’s plant controls.
- Mineral and quarry operations
- Mobile plant is assessed against the mine or quarry risk assessment, manufacturer requirements and the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2017 context.
- High-risk interaction
- Braking, steering, visibility, reversing controls, access and egress and interaction with light vehicles receive specific attention.
- Site acceptance pack
- Asset identity, inspection method, open defects and release conditions are presented in a format the Queensland site can retain in its plant records.
Applicable standards and regulations
| Reference | Title | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| CMSHR 2017 | Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017 | Coal mine risk management, competency, plant controls and safety and health management system context. |
| MQSHR 2017 | Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2017 | Non-coal mine and quarry plant risk controls, inspection and record-keeping context. |
| RSHQ | Resources Safety and Health Queensland | Queensland mining regulator expectations for mobile plant controls and evidence. |
| AS 2958.1 / AS 2294 series | Brakes; protective structures | Brake performance and ROPS/FOPS checks for earthmoving and mining machines. |
Inspection checkpoints
- The coal, mineral or quarry operating context is established before selecting the inspection checklist and release criteria.
- Interaction controls, braking, steering, operator protection and access systems are examined alongside the primary structure.
- Plant records, defect close-out and any required site acceptance or notification evidence are identified for the SSE or site owner.
- The report separates defects that prevent operation from items requiring planned rectification or monitoring.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Queensland inspection different for coal and mineral mines?
Yes. The applicable regulation and the mine’s safety and health management system differ. We confirm whether the asset operates in a coal mine, metalliferous mine or quarry and set the report around that context.
Does a Queensland mine need a registration certificate for every machine?
No. Registration depends on the plant category and the general high-risk plant rules. Site acceptance and mine records are separate controls, so both are checked where relevant.
Can you work across the Bowen Basin and regional Queensland?
Yes. We mobilise nationally and schedule Queensland work around induction, isolation, access and cleaning requirements at each operation.