Casualisation and 'production first' mindset hurts mine safety: survey

Eight in ten workers nominated production being valued above safety as a top concern, with six in ten saying they didn't believe safety was the top priority for site managers.

Many mineworkers had experienced or witnessed retaliatory action over raising safety concerns, including casual workers finding they are suddenly no longer required, said CFMEU Queensland District President Stephen Smyth.

"No-one is told that the reason they've been sacked or disciplined is for raising a concern over safety – but workers can see what is happening," said Mr Smyth. "They are labelled as whingers and moved on or otherwise victimised. We need 100% of mineworkers to feel confident they can report safety issues without fear.

"These results reflect what we hear every day from mineworkers on the ground and they are a poor reflection on the industry. You can't have an insecure, vulnerable workforce and a ruthless focus on production and expect there will be no consequences for safety.

"With the state-wide safety reset entering its second week, it's obvious that some operators are taking it very seriously and allocating adequate time and effort, while others are glossing over the issues.

"There's no room for complacency. It's clear that workers at the coal face don't believe companies are making safety their number one priority – operators must take this opportunity to show they are committed to change."

VIEW THE SURVEY RESULTS

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