The NSW Resources Regulator has unveiled its latest compliance priorities for the second half of 2025, zeroing in on critical safety and environmental issues across the state’s mining operations.
The six-month strategy identifies eight core compliance priorities, divided between safety and sustainability objectives. These efforts aim to reduce industry risks and ensure long-term environmental responsibility.
Safety compliance efforts will concentrate on four primary issues: Preventing conveyor-related fire incidents in underground coal operations, improving the safety and accessibility of underground emergency exits, managing entanglement hazards linked to rotating machinery in quarries, and evaluating and refining principal hazard management and control plans.
On the sustainability front, the regulator will continue to reinforce practices that minimise environmental impacts and support effective mine rehabilitation.
This includes conducting focused assessment programs for mine site rehabilitation, promoting the revegetation of native plant species, shaping final landforms post-mining, and overseeing the decommissioning of mining equipment and infrastructure.
To support these priorities, the regulator will implement the Adverse Vehicle Interaction Technical Reference Guide and provide an updated video resource to assist mine supervisors in identifying workplace hazards.
In addition, recommendations from the Audit Office of NSW regarding mine rehabilitation oversight will be adopted as part of the strategy.
NSW Resources Regulator executive director Jamie Tripodi said the updated priorities are based on evidence and emerging safety trends.
“The compliance priorities for the Regulator will continue to have a strong focus on safety and environmental risks, which is critical for all mine workers and their communities,” she said.
The resources regulator publishes its compliance priorities and assessment programs twice a year.
The full July to December 2025 report is available on the NSW Resources website.