Tasmanian Inquiry must deliver dramatic improvements to mine safety standards

The AWU believes the Tasmanian Government should take immediate steps to introduce new mine safety regulations which address specific issues identified by the Coronial Inquiry into the Renison mine fatalities.

In a submission to a Tasmanian Legislative Council inquiry the Australian Workers Union has argued for a major overhaul to lead to a new regulatory framework for the mining industry that understands the new and emerging risks in the workplace.

" The AWU's preferred position is the reintroduction of a prescriptive model, if not generally, then at least in the state's mining industry,'' the AWU submission to the Legislative Council Inquiry argues.

Submissions to the Tasmanian Legislative Council inquiry closed last week.

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The AWU said mine-specific workplace health and safety laws needed to be implemented as a matter of urgency.

The AWU said the role of the inspectorate needed to be restored to ensure minimum standards were complied with across all metalliferous mining sites in Tasmania.

The union also wants extra inspectors to be employed to limit injury or fatalities in the state's mines.

The AWU's submission supports much of the recent findings by the Tasmanian Coroner into the Renison mine fatalities.

" Many of the findings of the Renison Coroner are consistent with submissions made by the AWU into the review of the Workplace Health and Safety Act which was rejected at that time by the State Government," AWU Tasmania Secretary, Ian Wakefield said.

" Our submission to this new Legislative Council Inquiry uses important facts unearthed by the Renison Coronial Inquiry to back up our position to the State Government.

"It is clear after extensive evidence considered by the Coroner that specific mining safety regulations are of critical necessity in order to ensure that tragedies of this nature are not repeated in the future," AWU Branch Secretary Ian Wakefield said.