Carborough Downs Coal Management has been fined $720,000 following the death of a worker and the injury of another at a central Queensland mine. 

The charges relate to incidents that occurred approximately two months apart at the Carborough Downs Coal Mine near Coppabella in the Bowen Basin.

The first incident, in November 2019, involved the tragic death of a 57-year-old experienced electrician from Ipswich. The man was crushed by approximately two tonnes of falling coal while repairing a large electrical cable and was declared dead two hours later. This incident led to a fine of $480,000 for Carborough Downs Coal Management.

Two months earlier, another worker was severely injured at the same mine. On September 7, 2019, the man was responding to a “strata failure” in which the mine's roof had developed a cavity requiring repair. 

During this incident, the worker was struck by an 85-kilogram slab of rock, resulting in severe injuries including a laceration to his liver, spleen, multiple fractures, and a collapsed lung. The court fined the company $240,000 for this incident.

Workplace Health and Safety prosecutor Josh Underwood says that in the case of the fatality, the necessary safety infrastructure to keep the coalface stable was not in place when he entered a “no access” zone. Mr Underwood noted that the worker was standing in front of the coalface when it began to crack, leading to the fatal coal fall. 

“The coalface began to crack and around 20 tonnes of coal fell in his direction,” Mr Underwood said, according to reports.

The injuries in the earlier incident were also a result of inadequate safety measures. The court heard that a safety net designed to protect workers from falling objects had been cut, exposing the worker to a falling slab of rock.

Acting Magistrate Athol Kennedy, who presided over the case in the Mackay Magistrates Court, emphasised the importance of workplace safety in his sentencing. 

The fines imposed on Carborough Downs Coal Management were reduced from an initial $900,000 due to mitigating circumstances, including the company's early guilty plea, cooperation with authorities, and lack of prior convictions.

Carborough Downs Coal Management acknowledged that it could have done more to ensure that safety protocols were followed. The company's barrister, John Bremhorst, described the fine as significant and requested nine months for the company to pay.