Recognised standards, guidelines and guidance notes

The following recognised standards, guidelines and guidance notes relate to mining and quarrying activities in Queensland.

Recognised standards (coal mines)

Section 72(1) of the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 specifies that the Minister may make recognised standards. Standards state ways of achieving an acceptable level of risk for people working in coal mines. Operators can manage the risk in a different way but must be able to show that the method used is at least equivalent to the method in the recognised standard.

• RS1: Underground electrical equipment and electrical installations (PDF, 193KB)
• RS2: Control of risk management practices (PDF, 500KB)
• RS3: Explosion protected diesel engines (PDF, 146KB)
• RS4: Underground non-explosion protected vehicles (PDF, 364KB)
• RS5: Quality of incombustible dust, sampling and analysis of roadway dust in underground coal mines (PDF, 531KB)
• RS6: Inspections for underground coal mines (PDF, 513KB)
• RS7: Criteria for the assessment of drugs in coal mines (PDF, 519KB)
• RS8: Conduct of mine emergency exercises (PDF, 644KB)
• RS9: Monitoring of sealed areas (PDF, 503KB)
• RS10: Mine surveying and drafting (PDF, 596KB)
• RS11: Training in coal mines (PDF, 603KB)
• RS12: Place change mining operations in underground coal mines (PDF, 748KB)
• RS13: Tyre, wheel and rim management (PDF, 1.7MB)
• RS14: Monitoring respirable dust in coal mines (PDF, 717KB)
• RS15: Underground respirable dust control (PDF, 2.3MB)
• RS16: Use and control of polymeric chemicals at underground coal mines (PDF, 1.1MB)
• RS17: Hazardous chemicals (PDF, 2.7MB)
• RS18: Management of heat in underground coal mines (PDF, 581KB)
• RS19: Design and construction of mine roads (PDF, 926KB)
• RS20: Dust control in surface mines (PDF, 2.3MB)
  • RS20 Summary report (PDF, 2.7MB)

  The Minister can approve recognised standards to be reviewed or developed by a Recognised Standard Tripartite Working Group (RSTWG).

  Guidelines (mineral mines and quarries)

  Section 63(1) of the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999 specifies that the Minister may make guidelines. Guidelines provide ways of achieving an acceptable standard of risk for people working in mineral mines and quarries. Operators can manage the risk in a different way but must be able to show that the method used is at least equivalent to the method in the guideline.

  Naturally occurring radioactive material in metalliferous mines

  Respirable dust in mineral mines and quarries

  Supporting documents for QGL02

  Sampling data submissions template and guides:

  • Mineral mines and quarries (MMQ) occupational hygiene data template (XLSX, 451KB) Version 1 September 2023 (Chief Inspector's approved form)
  • MMQ how to guide for reporting occupational hygiene data (PDF, 691KB)
  • MMQ reporting classes (PDF, 366KB)

  Search the register of occupational hygiene consultancies for available consultancies suitable for QGL02 Management of respirable dust in Queensland mineral mines and quarries.

  Guideline for hazardous chemical

  Respiratory health surveillance

  Supporting documents for QGL04

  Health surveillance forms:

  • Respiratory health surveillance medical examination form (DOCX, 202KB) for mineral mine and quarry workers. This is the recommended template to be used to record the clinical findings from the respiratory health surveillance examinations and associated medical records.
  • Health surveillance report (DOCX, 916KB) for respiratory health surveillance of mineral mine and quarry workers. This is the recommended template to be used by the appropriate doctor to record information about any effects on a worker's health related to exposure to a respiratory hazard at a mine or quarry and the need, if any, for remedial action.

  Guidance notes

  Guidance notes are issued to help operators meet their safety and health obligations.

  Mineral mines and quarries

  • QGN: Mineral exploration safety guidance note (PDF, 1.5MB)
  • QGN02: Isolation of plant (PDF, 808KB)
  • QGN05: Mine record (PDF, 449KB)
  • QGN08: Safety at tourist mines (PDF, 578KB)
  • QGN09: Reviewing the effectiveness of safety and health management systems (PDF, 609KB)
  • QGN10: Handling explosives (surface and quarry) (PDF, 1.2MB)
  • QGN11: Handling explosives (underground) (PDF, 788KB)
  • QGN13: Safe work near drawpoints in underground metalliferous mines (PDF, 527KB)
  • QGN14: Effective safety and health supervision (PDF, 1MB)
  • QGN15: Emergency preparedness for small mines and quarries (PDF, 723KB)
  • QGN16: Fatigue risk management (PDF, 2.1MB)
  • QGN17: Development of effective job safety analysis (PDF, 1.8MB)
    • Job safety analysis video
    • Appendix 3 Prevention poster (PDF, 1.4MB)
    • Appendix 4 Protect your hearing at work and home poster (PDF, 1.1MB)
    • Appendix 5 Protect your hearing at home poster (PDF, 2.9MB)
    • QGN30.1: Shaft construction – shaft construction management plan (PDF, 27KB)
    • QGN30.2: Shaft construction – shaft sink engineering and design (PDF, 908KB)
    • QGN30.3: Shaft construction – shaft sink operation (PDF, 2.3MB)

    Coal mines

    • QGN05: Mine record (PDF, 449KB)
    • QGN07: Reporting serious accidents and high potential incidents to an Inspector of Mines or an Industry Safety and Health Representative (PDF, 643KB)
    • QGN09: Reviewing the effectiveness of safety and health management systems (PDF, 609KB)
    • QGN10: Handling explosives (surface and quarry) (PDF, 1.2MB)
    • QGN11: Handling explosives (underground) (PDF, 788KB)
    • QGN15: Emergency preparedness for small mines and quarries (PDF, 723KB)
    • QGN16: Fatigue risk management (PDF, 2.1MB)
    • QGN20: Management of oxides of nitrogen in open cut blasting (PDF, 2.5MB)
    • QGN22: Management of noise in mines (PDF, 1.5MB)
      • Appendix 3 Prevention poster (PDF, 1.4MB)
      • Appendix 4 Protect your hearing at work and home poster (PDF, 1.1MB)
      • Appendix 5 Protect your hearing at home poster (PDF, 2.9MB)
      • QGN32 Summary of audits and inspections (PDF, 1.1MB)

      Guidelines (coal mines)

      Guidelines are published by the Coal Mines Inspectorate to provide operators with ways of achieving an acceptable level of risk for people working in coal mines.

      • Last reviewed: 1 Sep 2020
      • Last updated: 16 Sep 2024