Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) has released an animation of a shuttle car incident to educate industry on what can cause a fatal incident and the new technologies that may help prevent them.
The animation reconstructs a near-fatal incident in which a shuttle car hit a coal mine worker and narrowly avoided running him over at an underground coal mine in Central Queensland.
Acting General Manager of Operations Patrick Jensen says investigations into the December 2025 incident identified multiple contributing factors industry should be aware of to prevent similar occurrences, including the absence of proximity detection technology.
“Proximity detection systems are already being used successfully by several mines in Queensland to mitigate shuttle car risks, and we strongly urge all sites to consider applying this technology in their operations,” Jensen says.
In the December 2025 incident, two workers were underground operating a continuous miner when the machine struck rib protection bollards and a ratchet strap on the side of the mine tunnel.
Jensen is encouraging workers, site senior executives, and operators at Queensland mines to review the animation and accompanying safety alert to reduce similar risks at their sites.
“Key issues included inadequate communication, the absence of proximity detection systems or camera systems, blind spots of shuttle cars and workers placing themselves in the line of fire,” he says.
RSHQ is the independent safety and health regulator for Queensland’s mining, quarrying, explosives, petroleum, and gas industries.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: RSHQ
