Inherent risks associated with mining
Inherent risks associated with working in the mining industry include:
- body stressing, manual handling and musculoskeletal disorders
- slips trips and falls
- being hit by moving objects or machinery
- working with high risk plant
Between 2001–02 to 2014–15 in Mining:
- Body stressing represented 39% of workers’ compensation claims. Many of these were due to muscular stress handling objects, carrying or putting down objects.
- Falls, trips and slips accounted for 25% of claims with the majority of these arising from falls on the same level.
- Being hit by moving objects accounted for 18% of claims. Over one-quarter of these were due to being hit by mobile plant and transport.
Mining WHS law and regulation
The Australian Government does not regulate WHS in the mining industry. WHS in the mining industry is regulated by states and territories.
A summary of the WHS regulatory framework for mining is set out below.