The number of mines with dust levels at or above legal limits had increased six-fold between 2012 and 2014, according to data from the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines.

Queensland has also recorded the worse annual fatality record in 18 years with six mine workers dying while working in the state’s mines between May 2014 and March 2015.

Black lung, or Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis, which is caused by a build-up of coal dust in the lungs due to inadequate ventilation and health standards in coalmines, was last detected 30 years ago. While a regulatory system was set up to monitor and detect a range of health issues affecting coalmine workers, the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union believes the system has not been maintained and is compromised.

Currently Queensland mine workers undergo a medical assessment prior to commencing work and then at least once every five years.

CFMEU Queensland district president Stephen Smyth said the cases could be the “tip of the iceberg” as there is a back log of x-rays of miners’ lungs to be examined and shortage of properly trained people to analyse the screening.

“It’s appalling that companies and regulatory bodies have let health standards deteriorate, putting the lives of workers at serious risk,” he said.

“This is a disease that takes hold gradually and we’re extremely concerned that recent diagnoses are just the tip of the iceberg.

“Of great concern is that Australian health and regulatory frameworks are no longer equipped to deal with the disease.”

The Queensland commissioner for mine safety and health said in his annual report: “There has been a significant upward trend over the last two years in average dust exposures for longwall and development mining across most sites.

“Sixty per cent of mines exposed longwall operators to levels equal to or greater than the adjusted regulatory exposure limit during 2014 compared with 10% in 2012.

“The average dust exposure for longwall operators at one mine was found to exceed twice the adjusted regulatory exposure limit.

“Long term exposure to dust at these levels puts workers at a high risk of developing disabling lung diseases such as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis.”

Queensland Minister for Mines and Natural Resources Anthony Lynham said the recent Queensland Mines Inspectorate Annual Performance Report which confirmed the incidence of black lung had prompted him to ask the Department of Natural Resources and Mines' director-general to recommend improvements needed for coal mine workers’ health assessment processes.

The Monash University Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health has been asked to review current medical assessment methodologies.

“I want to ensure that lung diseases such as pneumoconiosis are diagnosed early,” Lynham told parliament on Tuesday.

“More importantly, I want to prevent it occurring at all.”

“I am positive the industry will work with us if and when action is required.”

Lynham also said he would get tough on coal mines that do not comply with dust regulations. Two of the reported black lung cases come from Vale’s troubled Carborough Downs longwall mine in the Bowen Basin.

“There are measures that we could use, which includes shutting down unsafe work environments,” he said.

Queensland Resources Council CEO Michael Roche said he welcomed Lynham’s decision to conduct a review into the system of health screening of mine workers in Queensland and to establish if improvements need to be made.

“I’m pleased that Minister Anthony Lynham has decided to bring in experts from Monash University to have a good look at our system and make sure that it’s working as well as it should be,” he said.

“We want to know that the system which screens workers when they join the industry and at least every five years thereafter, is protecting the health of mine workers.

“I understand the genuine health concerns of mine workers who obviously need to have confidence in the compliance with levels of coal dust being emitted in mines and in screening and medical checks.

“It’s important to know if there are any problems with the medical interpretation of x-rays or if there is non-compliance in mines and any doubts or problems need to be addressed or removed quickly and decisively.”

Roche said that Queensland has a rigorous and transparent system of compliance with coal dust monitoring levels.

“But if there is non-compliance around dust levels at our mines then it’s appropriate that the Mines Inspectorate act and enforce the regulations,” he said.

“It’s just as important that mines themselves act as quickly as possible to lift their compliance to the standards that have been set.”