Information for mine and quarry workers
A range of information and resources are available to help you understand how the survey works, what the questions mean and how the data will improve safety and health in the Queensland mining industry.
All workers are encouraged to complete the survey. The more responses we get, the more accurate the results.
Participation
All mines and quarries in Queensland have been notified of the survey and have been encouraged to provide time for workers to complete the survey during work hours. However, some workers may prefer to complete the survey in their own time.
If you wish to complete the survey in your own time, please contact the Commissioner’s office at commissioner@rshq.qld.gov.au to receive a link to the survey.
Participating in the Queensland Mining Industry Safety Reporting Survey is encouraged for all workers from all mines and quarries in Queensland. A high response rate is necessary to get an accurate picture of the safety reporting culture across the coal mining, mineral mining and quarrying sectors.
Privacy and confidentiality are paramount. To ensure the privacy and confidentiality of respondents is protected:
- surveys will be completed anonymously and no personally identifying data will be collected
- the Commissioner will be sole owner and have complete control of the data
- all reports and analysis will be deidentified and reported in aggregate.
What is the survey trying to achieve?
The Queensland mining industry safety reporting survey aims to understand the state of the safety reporting culture in the mining industry in Queensland. The survey will identify the opportunities and barriers the industry faces in achieving a responsive and effective safety reporting culture.
Why is the survey important?
An understanding of the reasons why people do or do not report HPIs, near misses and early warning signs will help the industry to continue to drive improvements in protecting the safety and health of workers in Queensland’s mining industries. The survey will provide a benchmark for the industry and can be used to gauge the success of its efforts to improve safety culture.
The survey results will be compiled into a report which will be provided to the Minister for Resources and to the industry to continue to drive the conversation about safety reporting culture and how it can be improved.
Who is the Commissioner for Resources Safety and Health?
The Commissioner for Resources Safety and Health, Kate du Preez, is an independent advisor to the Minister for Resources. She is independent of the regulator, Resources Safety and Health Queensland.
The Commissioner is the Chair of the Coal Mining Safety and Health Advisory Committee and the Mining Safety and Health Advisory Committee. Both advisory committees are tripartite, with members representing mine operators, mine workers (unions), and the regulator, and provide advice to the Minister for Resources on safety and health in the mining industry.
When can I complete the survey?
The survey will be launched in June 2023 and will run for around two months.
Do I have to do the survey at work?
No, anyone who wishes to do the survey outside of work can ask for a QR code which links directly to the survey online. If you wish to complete the survey in your own time, you can contact the Commissioner’s office at commissioner@rshq.qld.gov.au to receive a link to the survey.
Will my responses be confidential?
Your privacy and confidentiality are extremely important to us and the survey has been designed so that no personally identifying information will be collected.
The Commissioner for Resources Safety and Health will have sole access to the data, only for the purposes of analysing responses of industry as a whole.
Who should complete the survey?
Everyone who works at a coal mine, mineral mine or quarry in Queensland is encouraged to complete the survey. It is an opportunity for everyone to share their views on the state of safety reporting culture at their workplace.
It is not compulsory to do the survey, but it is encouraged for all people who work at coal mines, mineral mines, and quarries to complete the survey to provide comprehensive data for analysis.
A high response rate will provide an accurate picture of the safety reporting culture across the industry. It will only take 10–15 minutes to complete the survey and we encourage everyone to take the time to complete it.
Will my workplace be identified?
Coal mine workers will have the option of identifying the mine site at which they work. For mineral mines and quarries, mines will not be identified as some mines and quarries are too small to safely ensure the anonymity of workers participating in the survey.
Coal mine operators have the option of receiving deidentified results from their mine compared against the industry benchmark, so long as the number of respondents who have chosen to identify their site is sufficient to ensure privacy and confidentiality of individuals is not compromised. The responses of those who choose not to identify the mine at which they work will not be included in this report. The survey results of a particular mine site will only be made available to that mine and will not be publicly released.
The data will not be used to compare one mine against another, and the results of a mine will be only available to the mine operator (or operating entity) the data was collected from. However, the mine operator will not be able to request the raw data that is collected from their mine sites. The Commissioner will treat all raw data as private and confidential.
What if I am experiencing difficulty completing the survey online?
If you are experiencing difficulty completing the survey online, please let us know at commissioner@rshq.qld.gov.au.
How will I find out the results?
The results of the survey will be communicated back to industry through a written report and an online dashboard, which are estimated to be released in December 2023.
Survey results will be posted on the Commissioner for Resources Safety and Health website, as well as via fact sheets, social media, direct email, news articles, and through stakeholder consultation and engagement sessions.
Due to the potential sensitivity of the data, the public facing reports will not contain reports at a mine-specific level, nor identify any mine by name.
Keep an eye on the Commissioner’s social media pages for more information:
Subscribe to the Commissioner's email list to keep up to date with the latest news and information about the survey.
Last updated: 27 Apr 2023