New Regulations for surface mine Principal Hazard Management Plans and the implications for Recognised Standard 22 (RS22).
The recent update to the Queensland Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation (2017), as at September 1, 2024, has for the first time defined what Principal Hazard Management Plans are required for surface coal mines. Read what they are, and what the implications are for your s.55 Management Structure as defined in Recognised Standard 22 (RS22).
A new paragraph has been added to the very start of Chapter 3 “Surface Mines” in the latest revision of the CMSHR, it is repeated in its’ entirety below:
Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017 Chapter 3 Surface mines
[s 102A]
Part 1A General
102A Principal hazard management plan
Part 2
A surface mine must have principal hazard management plans that provide for at the least the following—
(a) roads or other vehicle operating areas;
(b) ground or strata failure;
(c) airborne dust or any other airborne contaminants;
(d) fire or explosion;
(e) any other principal hazard identified by the coal mine operator or site senior executive for the surface mine.
This brings Surface coal mines in line with Underground coal mines, who under their own Chapter 4 already had some PHMPs listed. However, this new revision goes beyond that by specifying additional PHMPs, and also causes some confusion around the definitions. SSE’s have 12 months from enactment to have developed the Principal Hazard Management Plans (1st September 2025).
With respect to Recognised Standard 22 compliance, the immediate implication is that all four of these defined PHMPs must be included as Material Unwanted Events, which then triggers cascading requirements for the SSE to determine the competencies required at Risk Owner, Control Implementer and Control Monitor levels.
Readers are encouraged to review their RS22 Management Structure in light of these changes and consider the work required to not only create the PHMPs, but then the additional work with respect to the Management Structure and Recognised Standard 22 and of course actually getting your Management team trained and competent.
The full regulations can be found here: https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/pdf/inforce/current/sl-2017-0165