Standards and resources for health assessments

In response to the identification of coal workers' pneumoconiosis, a number of standards have been introduced to improve the quality and consistency of health screening for coal mine workers. We have also developed some resources to help employers and medical providers complete the health assessment form.

Standards

Clinical pathways guideline

The Mine dust lung disease clinical pathways guideline (PDF, 789KB) documents the recommended process for follow-up investigation of mine and quarry workers with abnormal screening results on respiratory examinations.

Underground mines rescue medical guideline

Mines rescue operations are physically and psychologically demanding and may involve working conditions that would not normally be considered tolerable. These conditions require a higher level of personal health and fitness than for normal mining operations.

For this reason, the health assessments performed under the Coal Mine Workers' Health Scheme for underground mines rescue workers need to be more stringent compared to those for normal mining work. Resources Safety & Health Queensland (RSHQ) has developed a guideline to assist appointed medical advisers to determine medical suitability to perform underground mines rescue testing, training and tasks.

X-ray standards

In November 2023, RSHQ released the updated Standards for acquiring digital chest radiography images for medical surveillance of Queensland mine and quarry workers (chest X-ray standards) (PDF, 38KB). Changes include:

  • inclusion of respiratory health surveillance for mineral mine and quarry workers under the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2017
  • requirement to use digital radiography (DR) imaging equipment
  • removal of information that is only relevant to computed radiography imaging equipment and not for DR imaging equipment
  • additional information on common image quality issues, including example chest X-ray images.

The updated chest X-ray standards apply to all chest X-ray images acquired for mine and quarry workers from 1 January 2024.

Earlier version of X-ray standards

Chest X-ray image quality

High-quality chest X-ray imaging and reporting is crucial for detecting issues indicative of mine dust lung diseases. RSHQ has published a practical guide to improving chest X-ray image quality (PDF, 224KB) to provide technical considerations you may consider when looking to improve image quality. The guide contains information for both radiologists and radiographers on addressing noise, contrast, and resolution, along with additional considerations for providers.

TSANZ standards for spirometry

On 26 March 2026, the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) released SPC01: TSANZ Technical Standards for Spirometry in Australian Primary Care (PDF,  3.8MB) and SPC02: TSANZ Standards for Training and Maintaining Competency in Spirometry for Australian Primary Care (PDF, 902KB) (2026 Standards).

From 1 October 2026, all spirometry for Queensland mine and quarry workers and spirometry training must be conducted in accordance with the 2026 Standards.

2026 Standards

The updated standards strengthen expectations for consistent, high-quality spirometry through clearer requirements for spirometry service delivery, quality assurance, interpretation and workforce training and competency.

The 2026 TSANZ Standards supersede and replace the 2022 TSANZ Standards for the Delivery of Spirometry for Resource Sector Workers and the TSANZ Standards for Spirometry Training Courses.

Key changes from the 2022 Standards include:

  • clearer minimum requirements for spirometry provider delivery, including staffing, testing environments, equipment and test quality
  • strengthened quality assurance and quality control requirements
  • updated requirements for spirometry interpretation
  • increased focus on worker engagement and experience during testing
  • strengthened expectations around training and maintaining competency for clinicians performing spirometry.

2022 Standards

Similar exposure groups

Similar exposure groups (SEGs) are used to identify groups of workers who have the same general exposure to risks.

The SEG information sheet (PDF, 111KB) has guidance on establishing site-specific SEGs, as well as SEG listings you can use for reporting personal respirable dust monitoring data.

Position list for coal mine workers

Coal mine workers' position titles need to be provided by employers when completing the Employer section of the approved health assessment form.

The Standardised coal mine worker position list (PDF, 380KB) has a list of position titles and categories, as well as guidance on how to classify a position.

Also consider...