Safety and health reporting for mineral mines and quarries
The majority of the provisions of the Resources Safety and Health Legislation Amendment Act 2024 commenced on 1 September 2024. Updated guidance material is being developed and will be published in the coming weeks.
The incident notification process will change, however, please continue notifying incidents through your current process for now. RSHQ will send through further information when it is available.
Visit our website for more information.
Use the menu below to find out about your safety and health reporting requirements for mineral mines and quarries. Click on a heading to either expand or collapse the heading content.
Note: The terms 'mineral mines' and 'quarries' include places where exploration activities occur.
All Queensland mine and quarry sites are required to submit respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica sampling results to the Queensland Mines Inspectorate.
This page explains how to meet your notification and reporting obligations under Queensland resources legislation.
Who this applies to
- Site senior executives (SSEs) at mineral mines and quarries.
Note: The terms 'mineral mines' and 'quarries' include places where exploration activities occur.
How to lodge your notices and reports
The table below shows what you need to submit and how to do it. If you need more help:
- Read the guideline – QGL02: Guideline for management of respirable dust in Queensland mineral mines and quarries (PDF, 948KB)
- refer to Schedule 5, General exposure limits for hazards of the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2017 for prescribed exposure limit levels.
Dust reporting requirements
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting of respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica levels (XLSX, 112KB)1 s. 3.2.4) | Within 28 days of becoming aware of the results | Email the completed spreadsheet to MMQOccHygiene@rshq.qld.gov.au |
You must notify us about the holders of statutory positions (e.g. site senior executive). You must notify us before starting operations, when an appointment has been made, or when an appointment changes.
Note: In addition, we request that you notify us of appointments for control of electrical work and winding operations.
This page explains how to meet your notification and reporting obligations under Queensland resources legislation. Download a flowchart of reporting requirements for statutory appointments for mineral mines (PDF, 113KB) or a flowchart of reporting requirements for statutory appointments for quarries (PDF, 130KB).
Who this applies to
These requirements apply to holders of the following resource authorities and statutory positions:
- Prospecting permit
- Mining claim
- Exploration permit for minerals
- Mineral development licence
- Mining lease
- Operators of mineral mines or quarries
- Site senior executives (SSEs) at mineral mines or quarries
Note: The terms 'mineral mines' and 'quarries' include places where exploration activities occur.
How to lodge your notices and reports
The table below shows what you need to submit and how to do it. If you need more help refer to the legislation (references in the table below).
Operator and site senior executive appointments
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
| Notification of a company as an operator of mine (PDF, 174KB) (MQSHA s. 47) | Within 14 days of the company becoming the operator or before changing the operator | See form for lodgement details |
| Notification of a company as an operator of quarry (PDF, 1MB) | Within 14 days of the company becoming the operator or before changing the operator | See form for lodgement details |
| Notification of an individual as an operator of mine (PDF, 136KB) (MQSHA s. 47) | Within 14 days of the individual becoming the operator or before changing the operator | See form for lodgement details |
| Notification of an individual as an operator of quarry (PDF, 966KB) | Within 14 days of the individual becoming the operator or before changing the operator | See form for lodgement details |
| Notification (by the operator) of appointment of a site senior executive (PDF, 1MB) (MQSHA s. 47(4) | Within 7 days after the appointment | See form for lodgement details |
1MQSHA: Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999
Underground mine manager appointments
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
| Notification (by the SSE) of appointment of an underground mine manager (PDF, 1.8MB) (MQSHA s. 53,54) | As soon as practicable after appointment has been made | See form for lodgement details |
1MQSHA: Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999
Ventilation officer appointments
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
| Notification (by the SSE) of appointment of a ventilation officer (PDF, 1.5MB) (MQSHA s. 54A) | As soon as practicable after appointment has been made | See form for lodgement details |
1MQSHA: Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999
Controller of winding activity appointments
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
| Notification (by the SSE) of appointment of a person to control winding operations for a mine (PDF, 63KB) (MQSHR1 s. 122) | As soon as practicable after appointment has been made | See form for lodgement details |
1MQSHA: Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999
Controller of electrical activity appointments
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
| Notification (by the SSE) of appointment of a person to control electrical work (PDF, 947KB) (MQSHR1 s. 18) | As soon as practicable after appointment has been made | See form for lodgement details |
You must make notification if serious accidents or high-potential incidents occur at your mineral mine or quarry. You must also provide information in relation to your investigation into the serious accident or high-potential incident, including controls to prevent a reoccurance. This information is entered in the fact finding and analysis information section for incident reports.
In addition, you must notify of a diagnosis of a reportable disease among current, commencing and former coal mine, mineral mine or quarry workers.
This page explains how to meet your notification and reporting obligations under Queensland resources legislation.
Who this applies to
- Site senior executives at mineral mines or quarries
Note: The terms 'mineral mine' and 'quarry' include places where exploration activities occur.
How to lodge your notices and reports
The table below shows what you need to submit and how to do it. If you need more help:
- refer to the legislation (references in the table below)
- read about reporting an incident for guidance on when to report incidents and how to complete the forms
- read about reporting prescribed diseases for guidance on what you need to report and the reporting process.
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of accidents, incidents or deaths (MQSHA1 s. 195) | Refer to the guide on reporting an incident | Notify an inspector as soon a practicable in the approved form (PDF, 615KB) |
| Form 5A - Incident report (MQSHR2 s. 16) | Within 1 month after the incident occurs | Use the online form to submit an incident report |
| Monthly incident summary form (MQSHA s. 259) | At the end of each calendar month for the current month | Use the online form to submit a monthly summary report |
| Notification of reportable disease (MQSHA s. 195AA) | When you receive a report of a diagnosis of a reportable disease in a current or former coal mine, mineral mine or quarry worker | Complete and lodge the approved disease notification form (PDF, 672KB). Refer to reporting prescribed diseases for guidance Also notify a district workers' representative (DWR). Note the approved form should not be provided to the DWR |
1MQSHA: Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999
2MQSHR: Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2017
The mines and explosives safety and health fee funds the safety and health services provided by the Queensland Government to the mining, quarrying, explosives and fireworks industries.
The reporting requirements and applicable fee vary according to the number of workers or contractors at the operation.
Note: Mines/quarries are only required to complete the census once they have commenced operations.
Read more about the mines and explosives safety and health fee and census.
How to lodge the census
The Queensland mining and quarrying industry census form needs to be submitted by the 'responsible person', which is either the operator or the holder of the tenure as defined in s. 11B of the MQSHR1.
The table below shows what you need to submit and how to do it. If you need more help:
- refer to the legislation (references in the table below)
- use the link in the table below to read more on the safety and health fee and access census forms—each census form contains instructions on how to complete the form.
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
|
Queensland mining and quarrying industry census form (MQSHR1 s. 11D) | Within 20 days after the end of each reporting period | Submit online |
1MQSHR: Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2017
You must submit a range of reports and notices before starting, changing and ceasing operations. Reports and notices are also required when the mine is a possible major hazard facility (PMHF) or a major hazard facility (MHF).
This page explains how to meet your notification and reporting obligations under Queensland resources legislation.
Download a flowchart of your reporting requirements for mineral mine and quarry on-site activities (PDF, 186KB) or a flowchart of reporting requirements for mines that are a PMHF or MHF (PDF, 177KB).
Who this applies to
- Site senior executives (SSEs) at mineral mines or quarries
- Operators of mineral mines or quarries
Note: The terms 'mineral mines' and 'quarries' include places where exploration activities occur.
How to lodge your notices and reports
The table below shows what you need to submit and how to do it. If you need more help refer to the legislation (references in the table below).
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
| Notice by operator of start of operations (MQSHA1 s. 47(3)) | Before operations start | Post or email to local District or Regional Inspector of Mines |
| Notice by operator of facility description for the mine
(MQSHA s. 47(1), MQSHR s. 150) | Existing mines: if 5 or more people employed, at least 2 months before a significant change to the operations New mines: if more than 4 people employed, at least 2 months before operations start | Post or email to local District or Regional Inspector of Mines |
| Plans (by SSE) of mine workings (MQSHA s. 58) | On request and within 14 days after the abandonment of a mine | Use the GSQ Lodgement Portal |
| Notification of connection/disconnection of electricity or change in size of load MMQ (PDF, 1.2MB) (MQSHR2 s. 19) | Before introduction for use or permanent disconnection of electricity (if power exceeds 75 kW) | See form for lodgement detail |
| Notice by operator when land is added to or omitted from a mine (MQSHA s. 47(5)) | Within 1 month after addition or omission | Post or email to local District or Regional Inspector of Mines |
| Notice (by SSE) about underground gasification activities (MQSHA s. 47A) | When site senior executive gives notice that activities are underground gasification activities | Post or email to local District or Regional Inspector of Mines |
| Form 1 – Notification (by SSE) of possible major hazard facility or major hazard facility (PDF, 165KB) (MQSHR s. 60B, 60C, 60D) | At least 6 months before the mine starts operations either as a new mine or as an upgraded mine | See form for lodgement details |
| Safety report (by SSE) to chief inspector (MQSHR s. 60F) | 16 months after lodging the notice of possible major hazard facility or major hazard facility | Post or email to local District or Regional Inspector of Mines |
1MQSHA: Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999
2MQSHR: Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2017