Coal Services

Our history

Proudly protecting the NSW coal mining industry and its workers for over 100 years

Coal Services prides itself on its ongoing commitment to the health and safety of the NSW coal mining industry.

This commitment is steeped in history, having been involved in the industry in one form or another since the 1920s.

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100 years of protecting

1920s

 

1922

Mine Owners Insurance Ltd was incorporated on 22 December 1921 and issued its first policy in 1922. The company’s aim was to underwrite workers compensation risks in the NSW coal industry.

1923

On 1 September, 21 miners died in the Bellbird coal mine disaster. This followed several mining disasters between 1887 and 1921 which killed a total of 293 people in NSW. A coronial inquest and Royal Commission extensively debated the value of breathing apparatus and the establishment of a mines rescue service.

1925

The Mines Rescue Act 1925 governed the establishment of rescue stations and brigades teams, and instigated equipment and maintenance standards. This remains the foundation for governing mines rescue operations in NSW today.

1926

The first mines rescue station in NSW began operations on 20 March at Abermain. Stations in Newcastle, Wollongong and Lithgow opened shortly thereafter.

The first mines rescue station in NSW began operations on 20 March at Abermain.

Stations in Newcastle, Wollongong and Lithgow opened shortly thereafter.

1940s

1946

The Commonwealth and the NSW State Government established the Joint Coal Board (JCB) under the Coal Industry Act 1946.

1947-48

The JCB established medical bureaus in each major coal mining region to conduct medical health surveillance and occupational hygiene services to protect those at risk and promote dust control at mines.

1947

The JCB established a welfare fund based on the Miners’ Welfare Commission in the United Kingdom, where funds were granted ‘for the benefit of mine workers and the communities in which they live’.

1948

The JCB purchased Mine Owners Insurance Ltd in June 1948 and renamed it Coal Mines Insurance. The JCB’s Order No. 10 required each employer in the coal industry to effect with the Board all workers compensation insurance for all mine workers.

The JCB was committed to 'the elimination of health hazards, such as the incidence of dust' so that 'all men in the industry will know that everything possible is being done to protect them from occupational complaints.'

First annual report of the Joint Coal Board 1947-48
History 1950s

1950s

1950

The JCB was credited with introducing the first Joy Continuous Miner in the country. One of the JCB’s objectives was to promote mechanisation in the coal fields.

1954

The JCB established the Standing Committee on Dust Research and Control with representatives from all key sectors of the industry to drive the strategic monitoring of dust levels and to support research on methods of dust suppression.

1959

The first underground mines rescue competition was held in the Southern region.

history-1960s

1960s

1963

The first ‘inter-district’ mines rescue competition was held in Wollongong. It included teams from NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia, with the Southern Mine (NSW) winning the event. The Australian Underground Mines Rescue Competition continues to be contested today by teams from NSW and Qld.

(image: Newcastle team at the 1964 competition held in Qld – used with permission from QMRS)

 

1970s

1972

The Mines Rescue Act was amended to establish the Mines Rescue Board as a body corporate. The first Board meeting was held on 23 November.

1979

Order 34 was implemented by the JCB to ensure mine owners developed training plans for mine workers that would improve the safety of the workplace.

1980s

1983

The Abermain Rescue Station closed after 57 years of service and transferred operations to Singleton Heights to become the Hunter Valley Mines Rescue Station. This signalled greater involvement with open cut coal mines.

1983

Coal Mines Technical Services was established as part of the Southern Mines Rescue Station, following recommendations from a Mines Rescue Board delegation to Europe to determine the best practice for various mines rescue agencies.

1984

The Commonwealth and NSW governments reconstituted the JCB to provide for one Board Member to be drawn from the trade union movement, one from coal company management and one from government.

1987-1988

CMI opened their first regional office in Singleton, followed by Warners Bay and Corrimal offices in 1988. Prior to this time CMI had a centralised based claims service out of Sydney.

 

1990s

1991

The Health and Safety Trust was formed to seek out, nurture and apply quality research for the benefit of coal miners.

1992

A review of the JCB’s operations was carried out (the Kelman Report), resulting in amendments to the Commonwealth and NSW Coal Industry Acts. The amendments refocused the Board away from engineering and industrial issues to a primary concern for the occupational health and welfare of mine workers.

1996

Mines Rescue became a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) in October 1996.

1998

Mines Rescue published the first edition of ‘A manual on Mines Rescue, Safety and Gas Detection’.

1999

In 1999, the JCB had a vision to develop an interactive virtual reality simulator to provide more effective training for the NSW coal industry. This followed concern around the high incident rate being experienced by the industry at the time.

 

 

2000s

2002

On 1 January 2002, the JCB and Mines Rescue Boards were dissolved and Coal Services Pty Limited commenced operations per the Coal Industry Act 2001 (NSW).

2004

In October 2004, the first Virtual Reality Technologies simulator was officially opened at the Newcastle Mines Rescue Station to provide immersive training experiences in a simulated environment.

The new arrangements represent a break from the past and provide a unique opportunity to enhance the delivery of critical services to the coal industry in the areas of occupational health and safety, workers compensation, welfare and mines rescue.

Coal Services inaugural annual report June 2002

2010s

2010

In November the Southern Mines Rescue Station hosted the 7th International Mines Rescue competition. Sixteen mines rescue teams from around the world, including China, Russia and the US competed at the event. Appin West’s mines rescue team represented Australian and won the overall competition.

2011

Order 41 and Order 42 were introduced to formalise workers’ health assessments (pre-placement medicals and periodic health surveillance) and to monitor airborne dust in coal mines.

2012

CS Health expanded operations into Mudgee to provide occupational health services in the region.

2017

The Moolarben Mines Rescue station was officially opened near Mudgee  in December to service the growing mining industry in the region.

2018

The Coal Industry Act 2001 (NSW) was amended to include a definition of an employer in the coal industry to restore the Act’s original intent of ensuring all NSW coal industry workers are covered by CMI to benefit from the wider services offered by Coal Services’ Specialised Health and Safety Scheme.

2018

NSW Coal Order 43 came into effect on 1 July 2018 following approved changes to health monitoring requirements for coal mine workers in NSW. It replaced Order 41.

2020 to today

2021

An interim Mines Rescue training facility was opened in the Gunnedah region to deliver specialised safety training to industry.

2021

Mines Rescue Consulting was established as a dedicated function to support industry in the development, auditing and testing of safety, crisis and emergency management systems.

2022

CS Health opened in Gunnedah in September, following growing demand for occupational medical services in the region.

2022

Coal Services commenced services from the Mine Safety Laboratory.