About us

About the Committee

The Mining and Quarrying Occupational Health and Safety Committee aims to promote occupational health and safety and prevent injury and disease in the mining and quarrying industry.

The Committee is established under the Occuaptional Health, Safety and Welfare Act, 1986. Its principal function is to administer expenditure from the Mining and Quarrying Industries Fund.

Mining and Quarrying Industries Fund

The fund was originally set up in 1941 under the Workmen's Compensation (Silicosis) Scheme and was administered by the Silicosis Committee. Interest on the investments is used to fund initiatives that minimise injury and disease and promote occupational health and safety in the mining and quarrying industries.

Projects

The Act provides that the Committee may utilise the fund for the following purposes:

• To promote and support practices and procedures designed to protect workers from
  silicosis.
• To support education in occupational health and safety in the mining and
  quarrying industries.
• To initiate or support research and studies into occupational health and safety that
  could benefit workers in the industries.
• To promote and support people or organisations working to prevent, alleviate, or
  treat the kinds of disabilities suffered by workers in the industries.
• To support any other kind of activity that could directly or indirectly improve
  occupational health and safety or assist rehabilitation of disabled workers in those industries.

Strategic directions

• Achieve an effective working relationship between the Committee and industry partners (employers, employees, unions, government agencies and professionals) to achieve best occupational health and safety practice.
• Identify existing and emerging trends regarding the OHS needs of the industries.
• Develop and implement practical occupational health, safety and welfare initiatives.
• Ensure that funds are administered efficiently and that effective performance measures are set.
• Develop consistent OHS and safety data standards that meets industry objectives and support the National Mine Safety Framework.