Report - High visibility campaign 2026 (coal sector)
Compliance findings for all sectors
During a two-week inspection campaign in July 2026, Resources Regulator inspectors attended 123 mines sites across three mining sectors at coal, metalliferous, extractives and small mines.
A total of 321 compliance notices were issued at 85 mine sites (across all three sectors).
| Notice type | Total compliance notices issued | Number of mines (all sectors) issued a compliance notice |
|---|---|---|
| s195 prohibition notice | 23 | 15 |
| s191 improvement notice | 220 | 72 |
| s23 notice of concern | 78 | 57 |
| Total | 321 | 85 |
Note: not all mines were issued a compliance notice and some mines were issued multiple compliance notices.
The top three principal hazard or control plan topics and material unwanted events (MUE) that were the subject of compliance notices across all three sectors were:
- Mechanical engineering control plan - unintended interaction with rotating or moving equipment (34 out of 85 MECP topic compliance notices)
- Air quality or dust or other airborne contaminants – exposure to dust and airborne contaminants (including diesel particulates) in excess of exposure standards (subject of 25 compliance notices)
- Roads or other vehicle operating areas (ROVOA) – collision of vehicle or mobile plant (subject of 20 compliance notices)
Assessment program at coal mines
Operation type assessed
| Operation type | Number of mines assessed |
|---|---|
| Underground | 18 |
| Surface | 20 |
| Processing | 8 |
| Total | 46 |
Criteria assessed
Campaign scope: Incident re-occurrence prevention review
- Review of the previous 12 months incidents reported to the Regulator by the mine.
- Review of implementation by the mine in response to compliance notice directions issued in relation to a prior incident at the coal site.
- Verification of compliance discussion with site supervisors and workers at the site.
Compliance notice type issued to coal mines during the program
| Coal operation type | WHS(MPS)A s23 notice of concerns | WHSA s191 improvement notice | WHSA s195 prohibition notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underground | 17 | 14 | 1 |
| Surface | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| Processing | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| Total | 27 | 32 | 1 |
A total of 60 compliance notices were issued to 25 coal mine sites.
2026 Campaign compliance notices topics issued at coal mines
The top three improvement compliance notice (WHSA s191) and prohibition compliance notice (WHSA s195) topics by principal hazard or control plan and material unwanted event (MUE) issued at surface and underground coal mines were:
- Mechanical engineering control plan (MECP) – unintended interaction with rotating or moving equipment (5 out of 14 MECP topic compliance notices issued)
- Electrical engineering control plan (EECP) – uncontrolled release of energy (3 compliance notices issued)
- Health control plan (HCP)– various topics (3 compliance notices issued) equal with
- Roads or other vehicle operating areas (ROVOA) – collision of vehicles (3 compliance notices issued)
Recommendations
Operators of coal mines should review the following topics identified in compliance notices issued during the Regulators campaign.
Mechanical engineering control plan
- Review implementation of risk controls relating to the site MECP:
- unintended interaction with rotating or moving equipment
- falling objects
- persons falling
- lifting and slinging systems
- person in workbox or MEWP
- uncontrolled release of energy including spring energy
- structural collapse
- conveyor standards and inspections
- Refer to the NSW Code of Practice: Mechanical engineering control plan (May 2025) (PDF, 1.37 MB).
Electrical engineering control plan
- Review implementation of site risk controls relating to the site EECP:
- Uncontrolled release of energy
- Refer to the NSW Code of Practice: Electrical engineering control plan (May 2025) (PDF, 924.19 KB).
Roads and other vehicle operating areas (ROVOA)
- Review implementation of risk controls relating to the site ROVOA-PHMP
- Intersection speeds for all vehicles
- Light vehicle usage and operator licensing
- Reversing vehicles and mobile plant – dozers on dumps
Health control plan
- Review implementation of risk controls relating to the site health control plan
- Airborne contaminants and dust exposures
- Managing psychosocial risks and hazards at work
Emergency management plan
- Review implementation of risk controls relating the site emergency management plan
Positive inspection findings
- Most coal mines inspected could provide evidence that the site was investigating reported events and addressing actions in compliance notices.
- Coal mines that were able to demonstrate compliance with previous compliance notices and conducting post incident review of risk control measures had similar systems capabilities.
- Incident management system used to record events
- Use of naming conventions for retrieval of information
- Formal processes for investigating incidents and reviewing control measures including the use of pro-formas
- Action recording and tracking systems
- Closing actions with evidence attached
- Systems provided for additional action due approximately 6 months after the event to verify actions had been properly completed and effectively implemented
- Majority of coal mines inspected with previous compliance notices issued relating to airborne contaminants and dust topics are in the process of developing and upgrading strategies to mitigate the risk to workers