By: Jason Wagstaffe

Jason Wagstaffe — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 03:27:39 +0000

I entered the Australian (NSW) underground coal mining industry in 1987 as an apprentice electrician. At that time the majority of the NSW Government owned coal mines were located close to its workforce, or in the alternative, the workforce purchased land and built their homes close to the pit. At the age of 17, I was not old enough to appreciate what was occurring in the UK or at home in terms of the changing political and workforce landscape. What I do remember is the amount of time that mine workers spent on strike during 87, 88, and 89. As an apprentice we still needed to attend work and TAFE etc even when the workforce was on strike.
For some, the Australian experience had similarities with those of the UK, especially in area such as Wollongong (and surrounds) and Newcastle, Cessnock, and Lake Macquarie. The reason why we had similar experiences is due to most of our early miners coming from the UK and our (NSW) early acceptance of the UK mine safety legislation. Our mining knowledge is UK based not USA based. Our knowledge of mine safety and miner health is UK based.
It wasn’t until the 1990’s that we moved away from UK dominant knowledge and implemented unique Australian (NSW) mining knowledge into safety legislation and worker health for underground coal mines.
Our NSW mine safety legislation is written with the blood of those who died. Up until the change to the model WHS legislation in NSW, each fatality in the NSW underground coal industry was followed by a change in mine safety legislation.

Comments on: “Backbone of the Nation” and safety

By: Jason Wagstaffe