AGY-5377 | Coal Services Pty Ltd

Full description

Coal Services Pty Ltd was formed on 1 January 2002 under the Coal Industry Act 2001 (Act No.107, 2001). It merged the functions and assets of the former Joint Coal Board, a joint Commonwealth/NSW government agency, and the Mines Rescue Board, a NSW government agency. Coal Services was an industry owned corporation owned jointly by the NSW Minerals Council and the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU). (1)

The Board of Directors was comprised of 7 persons, all of whom were appointed by the Minister with responsibility for administering the Coal Industry Act 2001. Two of these directors were nominees of the CFMEU, two were nominees of the NSW Minerals Council, and two were independent directors having relevant expertise who were nominated jointly by the CFMEU and the Minerals Council. The seventh director was the Managing Director and CEO appointed from among persons nominated by the other directors. The position of Chairman of the Board rotated between nominated directors from these two industry bodies. (2)

Coal Services' main objectives were:
- To operate an innovative, efficient, effective, competitive and fully funded workers’ compensation insurance scheme for the coal mining industry in New South Wales.
- To provide the NSW coal mining industry with an occupational health service that delivers quality medical assessments, rehabilitation, risk and injury management, work environment monitoring and health educational material tailored to the needs of those working in the NSW coal industry.
- To provide a rescue service to the NSW coal industry that can quickly and effectively respond to and assist in the control of emergencies at mines enabling the escape/rescue of persons from those emergencies, and to ensure that members of the Brigade are adequately trained in mines rescue procedures. (3)

Coal Services controlled three entities that enacted its functions under the Act:
(a) Coal Mines Insurance Pty Limited (CMI); workers' compensation insurance for the New South Wales coal industry. CMI collects insurance premiums from mining companies, assesses miner’s claims and makes payments.
(b) Mines Rescue Pty Limited; mines rescue services to the New South Wales coal industry. Mines Rescue Service is responsible for what was known as the Mines Rescue Brigade. Brigadesmen of the service are volunteers that are trained in emergency rescue and response procedures for incidents occurring at coal mines, under legislation a minimum five per cent of the underground coal mining workforce (including full-time equivalent contractors) must be trained to provide rescue. Mines Rescue was a registered training organisation and maintains a register of Brigadesmen whose skills are up to date and are fit for active duty. Its operations were funded by a levy, which was collected from mining companies. It is also responsible for approving and auditing competency-based training programs run by each mining company. In 2002, administrative headquarters in were in Argenton and Mines Rescue Stations in Rusell Vale, Lithgow, Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. The Technical Services laboratory and workshop was located in North Wollongong. (4)
(c) Coal Services Health; occupational health and rehabilitation services to the New South Wales coal industry. Coal Services Health provided pre-employment and ongoing medical assessments for coal industry workers; and rehabilitation services for injured minors under a service level agreement with CMI. The entity also was responsible for environmental health monitoring conditions at each mine to monitor miner’s exposure to hazards as part of statutory requirements. (5)

Coal Services administered two allied bodies, the Standing Committee on Dust Research and Control (established 1954; renamed to Standing Dust Committee) and the Coal Services Health and Safety Trust (established 1991). The Standing Committee on Dust Research and Control was an expert advisory Committee with representatives from Coal Services, the mining industry, government agencies and technical experts. Its role was to monitor and research workplace environmental hazards such as dust, contaminates and noise and to educate the coal industry about hazard controls. The Coal Services Health and Safety Trust inherited the functions of the Joint Coal Board Health and Safety Trust. Its role was to fund and promote research targeting health and safety issues that will benefit coal industry workers. (6)

On 1 July 2004, the Department of Mineral Resources was abolished and all branches were transferred to the Department of Primary Industries. (7)

In September 2006, the first of four Virtual Reality Training facilities opened at the Newcastle Mines Rescue Station. This independent business unit, funded by the Coal Services Health and Safety Trust, opened facilities over several years at the Mines Rescue Stations of Wollongong, Singleton and Lithgow. (8)

From 1 July 2009, when the Department of Primary Industries was abolished, the Mineral Resources Division transferred into the Minerals and Energy Division within the Department of Industry and Investment. (9) In 2009/2010 Coal Services established a Commercial Unit made up of specialists drawn from various company disciplines that met regularly to oversee and promote commercially the interests of the business. (10)

From 4 April 2011 the name of the Department of Industry and Investment was changed to the Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services. (11) On 1 July 2015 the Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services was abolished and its functions were transferred to the Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development. (12)

On 1 April 2017, the Resources and Energy divisions and functions were transferred from the Department of Industry to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment. (13) When the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment was established from 1 July 2019 the staff of the Department of Environment and Planning were transferred to that Department. (14)

Staff from the Regions, Industry, Agriculture and Resources Group in the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment were transferred to Regional NSW on 2 April 2020. (15) Regional NSW was renamed as the Department of Regional NSW on 21 December 2021. (16)

On 31 December 2022, Coal Services Pty Ltd ceased to be a public office under the State Records Act 1998 (Act No.17, 2022). (17)

Endnotes
1. Coal Industry Act 2001 (Act No. 107,2001), Pt. 2; Joint Coal Board, Final Report July - December 2001, p.40.
2. Ibid., p.6.
3. Coal Services Pty Limited, Annual Report Jan-June 2002, p.2.; Coal Services Pty Limited, Annual Report 2021-2022, p.4.
4. Coal Services Pty Limited, Annual Report 2002-2003, p.13, p.51.
5. Ibid. p.10.
6. Coal Services Pty Ltd website, Health and Safety Trust, https://www.coalservices.com.au/mining/about-us/health-safety-trust/ (accessed 14 December 2022).; Coal Services Pty Ltd website, Standing Dust Committee, https://www.coalservices.com.au/mining/workplace-safety-and-compliance/industry-working-groups/standing-dust-committee/ (accessed 14 December 2022); Coal Services Pty Ltd, Annual Report 2006-2007, pp.16-17.
7. NSW Government Gazette Special Supplement, No.100, 18 June 2004, p.3817.
8. Coal Services Pty Ltd, Annual Report 2006-2007, p.3.
9. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departmental Amalgamations) Order 2009 (2009 No 352) cl. 16; NSW Legislation website, 27 July 2009.
10. Coal Services Pty Ltd, Annual Report 2009-2010, p.10.
11. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departments) Order 2011 (2011 No 184) cls. 16; notified on NSW Legislation website, 3 April 2011.
12. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order (No.2) 2015 (2015 No.250) cl.5, 6; notified on NSW Legislation Website, 29 May 2015.
13. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order 2017 (2017 No.79) cls.7; notified on NSW Legislation Website, 15 March 2017.
14. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order 2019 (2019 No 159), clause 8; notified on NSW Legislation website, 2 April 2019 as amended by Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order 2019 (2019 No 180), Schedule 1 [1]; notified on NSW Legislation Website, 1 May 2019.
15. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Regional NSW and Independent Planning Commission) Order 2020 (2020 No 121); cl. 4; notified on NSW Legislation Website, 02 April 2021.
16. Administrative Arrangements (Second Perrottet Ministry—Transitional) Order 2021 (2021 No 790); Schedule 2 cl.2(1); notified NSW Legislation Website, 21 December 2021.
17. State Records Act 1998 (Act No.17, 2022), Part 1, Section 3 (1)(a)(ii) and (1)(b)(iii).