The National Mine Safety Framework (NMSF) is an initiative of the Ministerial Council on Mineral and Petroleum Resources which aims to achieve a nationally consistency occupational health and safety regime for the Australian mining industry. The implementation of the NMSF will improve the safety of workers through greater consistency and efficiency of occupational health and safety regulation.
The Ministerial Council first endorsed the initiative in March 2002, and re-endorsed it in November 2005 with the establishment of a tripartite Steering Group (made up of representatives of State/Northern Territory and Australian Governments, and relevant industry associations and trade unions) to guide the development and implementation of the Framework. The Steering Group is supported by the NMSF Secretariat, housed within the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.
The National Mine Safety Framework is made up of seven strategies, focussed on key areas where consistency across jurisdictions would be most beneficial to the industry:
- Nationally consistent legislation.
- Competency support.
- Compliance support.
- A nationally coordinated protocol on enforcement.
- Consistent and reliable data collection and analysis.
- Effective consultation mechanisms.
- A collaborative approach to research.
The NMSF Steering Group has developed implementation plans for the seven strategies through a consultative process involving all major stakeholders and including two rounds of national public consultations in 2007 and 2008. The Steering Group’s recommendations were finalised in the “National Mine Safety Framework Implementation Report” in October 2008. The Report has since been endorsed by the Ministerial Council on 28 October 2008 and by the Council of Australian Governments on 30 April 2009.
The Implementation Report details the ongoing activities to be undertaken by the NMSF Steering Group to ensure the goal of national consistency is realised. The Australian Government has committed $3.3 million over four years (commencing 2009-10) to these activities, with the State and Northern Territory Governments also contributing $3.1 million to the initiative over four years.
To obtain a copy of the NMSF Implementation Report, please contact the National Mine Safety Framework Secretariat at NMSF.Secretariat@ret.gov.au.
The National Mine Safety Framework Secretariat is also working closely with Safe Work Australia regarding the implementation of the National Mine Safety Framework, and the interaction between the NMSF and the National OHS Harmonisation process to ensure a consistent and collaborative approach to OHS reform.
Contact us
To contact the Secretariat by mail please write to:
NMSF Secretariat (Canberra)
Resources Division
GPO Box 1564
Canberra ACT 2601