Excellence in mining was celebrated at the Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference (QMIHSC), Health and Innovation Awards, with Anglo American Dawson Mine taking home the win for the Innovation Award and Kestrel Resources the winner of the Health Award.
Over 1000 industry leaders and professionals came together at the largest health and safety conference of its kind in the southern hemisphere which culminated with the Health and Innovation Awards gala on August 24.
The Awards were developed to recognise creative and practical solutions in the health and safety space and to promote their application across the state’s resources industry.
Anglo American Dawson Mine’s pioneering Workshop Wheel Chock won the Innovation Award and the Dawson Mine Maintenance team also caught the attention of the passionate industry conference delegates, taking home the People Choice Award too.
QMIHSC 2022 Chair Peter Newman said Anglo American’s innovation creates a safer and simpler way of working on mining trucks in workshops, while significantly reducing the potential for fatalities and injuries.
“Their solution moves the dial on safety in mine workshops by introducing a hard engineering control to remove the risk of unsafe wheel chock ejection,” Mr Newman said.
Kestrel Coal Resources were announced as the winner of the Health Awards category for their 2022 Lifestyle Challenge and Mr Newman commended Kestrel for their commitment to culture improvements and healthy lifestyle changes at their operation through the wellbeing initiative.
“A safe and high performing workforce is one that is healthy and happy in their workplace,” Mr Newman said.
“The workforce behind Queensland’s mining industry, in particular many fly in fly out (FIFO) or Drive in Drive Out (DIDO) workers, work long and physically exhausting shifts, away from the support of their families.”
“Kestrel’s initiative is an outstanding example of caring for the workforce and their health.”
Industry Legends
Moura-based Pick and Shovel Miner Jim Parsons and Industry Safety and Health Representative, Greg Dalliston from Morayfield were also recognised, both receiving the honorable Legends Award at QMIHSC.
QMIHSC 2022 Chair Peter Newman said Jim and Greg are both outstanding examples of the world-class workforce behind the state’s mining sector, who foster an environment of proactive health and safety behaviors at the mine, organisation and industry levels.
“Across their impressive careers, Jim and Greg tirelessly served Queensland’s mining industry as role models and mentors to assist in the ongoing, continuous cycle of safety improvement,” Mr Newman said.
“The industry is committed to eliminating fatalities, injuries and occupational illnesses, with a strong focus on building and sustaining respectful workplaces,”
“We hope that Jim and Greg’s shared experiences, achievements and long-standing commitment to promoting health and safety excellence in our sector will inspire present and future generations of industry leaders to continue driving our vision of Zero Serious Harm.
“The mining industry’s core value and commitment is the safety, health and psychological wellbeing of its workforce, where everyone who goes to work returns home safe and healthy,
“Jim and Greg embody this year’s conference theme – Together we Collaborate, Innovate and Educate – and prove what is possible through collaboration as we work together to respond to broader industry safety and health challenges.”
The QMIHSC Legends Award was established in 2017 to recognise those in Queensland’s mining industry who have made substantial, sustained and significant improvements to health and safety in the mining industry.
