Prof Michael Quinlan

B.Ec (hons), PhD (USyd) FASSA

Emeritus Professor of Industrial Relations, University of New South Wales

Keynote title

10 Pathways to death and disaster: Learning from fatal incidents in mines and other high hazard workplaces

Keynote synopsis

Why do mine disasters continue to occur in wealthy countries when major mine hazards have been known for over 200 years and subject to regulation for well over a century? What lessons can be drawn from these disasters and are mine operators, regulators and others drawing the correct conclusions from such events? Are the underlying causes of disasters substantially different from those that result in one or two fatalities?

Michael Quinlan will speak to his book, Ten Pathways to Death and Disaster: Learning from Fatal Incidents in Mines and Other High Hazard Workplaces, which examines why pattern causes have proved so resistant to intervention by governments while also identifying instances where lessons have been learned.

Biography

Michael Quinlan PhD FASSA is emeritus professor at UNSW with a global reputation in occupational health and safety (OHS) research and a strong track record of engagement with government, industry and unions. He has long been involved in mine OHS, including being a member of the NSW mine safety review (2004-5) and Beaconsfield mine independent investigation (2006). Following Beaconsfield he prepared three audits of the Tasmanian mines inspectorate in 2010, 2012 and 2014). In 2010-11 he prepared three expert reports evaluating mine safety performance, legislation and a prior government review for the New Zealand Department of Labour following the 2010 Pike River mine disaster. He subsequently serving on the Expert Reference Group overseeing the the introduction of new mine safety legislation and then was an expert member of the New Extractive Industries Advisory Group until 2023 (when it lapsed). He also prepared an expert report for the Board of Inquiry following the 2020 Grosvenor mine explosion. He has given regular talks on mine safety to industry and unions and his book Ten Pathways to Death and Disaster: Learning from Fatal Incidents in Mining and Other High Hazard Workplaces (Federation Press Sydney) has proved highly influential in the industry and its central argument confirmed by subsequent research.