Overview
Background
David Cliff was Professor of Occupational Health and Safety in Mining and Director of MISHC from 2011 to 2016. In January 2017 he was appointed Professor of Risk and Knowledge Transfer, reverting to Professor of Occupational Health and Safety in Mining in 2018. His primary role is providing education, applied research and consulting in health and safety in the mining and minerals processing industry. He has been at MISHC over fifteen years.
Previously David was the Safety and Health Adviser to the Queensland Mining Council, and prior to that Manager of Mining Research at the Safety In Mines Testing and Research Station. In these capacities he has provided expert assistance in the areas of health and safety to the mining industry for over twenty three years. He has particular expertise in emergency preparedness, gas analysis, spontaneous combustion, fires and explosions, including providing expert testimony to the Moura No.2 Warden’s inquiry, the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry and the Pike River Royal Commission. In recent times he has also devoted a lot of energy to fitness for duty issues particularly fatigue management. He has been a member of the organising committee for the level one emergency exercises in Queensland underground coal mines since their inception in 1998. He has also attended or provided assistance in over 30 incidents at mines. He has developed expertise in the development of Trigger Action Response Plans.
David has also extensive experience in providing training and education in OHS in mining to in many countries.
He has published widely in the area of occupational health and safety in mining including not just the physical hazards but also on the processes for the effective management of these issues. Examples of this include reviews of the annual safety performance report for the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines and assistance to the Mine Safety Advisory Council of NSW in developing Health Management Plans (HMP) and key performance indicators for HMP.
In recent years he has collaborated closely with Nikky LaBranche researching respirable dust particularly coal dust and silica.
Availability
- Professor David Cliff is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Research interests
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Occupational Health and Safety in Mining
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Principal Hazard Management in Mining
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Gas Analysis and interpretation in mining
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Artisanal Mining OHS
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Emergency Management
Research impacts
David has been active in providing education, training and advice on OHS issues to many countries including: India, Mongolia, Peru, Chile, Colombia, South Africa, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, China, the United States of America and Indonesia. In many of these countries he has provided support to government agencies as they struggle to cope with the demands of rapidly expanding minerals extraction industries. A key area of focus has been on the small scale and artisanal mining sector in these countries. He has established relationships with universities and government agencies in many of these countries.
Works
Search Professor David Cliff’s works on UQ eSpace
2005
Conference Publication
Relationship between the hours of work and safety related incidents in the coal mining industry
Cliff, David I. (2005). Relationship between the hours of work and safety related incidents in the coal mining industry. 31st International Safety in Mines Research Institutes Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 2005.
2005
Conference Publication
The ability of current gas monitoring techniques to adequately detect spontaneous combustion
Cliff, D. (2005). The ability of current gas monitoring techniques to adequately detect spontaneous combustion. Coal 2005: Coal Operators' Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 26-28 April 2005. Carlton, Victoria: AusIMM.
2005
Other Outputs
Final Report: Development of a significant incident identification and evaluation system
Cliff, David and Moreby, Roy (2005). Final Report: Development of a significant incident identification and evaluation system. Australian Coal Association Research Program.
2005
Conference Publication
Establishment of Hours of Work Risk Factors Relevant to Coal Mining
Cliff, D. I. (2005). Establishment of Hours of Work Risk Factors Relevant to Coal Mining. 31st Biennial Int'l Conf. of Safety in Mines Research Inst., Sofitel Brisbane, 2-5 October 2005. Brisbane, Queensland: Simtars - Department of Natural Resources and Mines.
2005
Conference Publication
Recent developments in inertisation in Australian coal mines
Cliff, David I. (2005). Recent developments in inertisation in Australian coal mines. 2nd International Mines Rescue Conference, Sydney, Australia, 5-11 November 2005.
2005
Conference Publication
The Demonstration of Electronic Systems to Assist in the Management of a Significant Incident
Cliff, D. I. and Moreby, R. (2005). The Demonstration of Electronic Systems to Assist in the Management of a Significant Incident. Coal 2005, Brisbane, Australia, 26-28 April 2005. Carlton, Victoria: AusIMM.
2004
Conference Publication
Evaluation of incident management during level one emergency response simulation exercise in Queensland underground coal mines
Cliff, David I. (2004). Evaluation of incident management during level one emergency response simulation exercise in Queensland underground coal mines. 13th International Conference on Coal Research, Shanghai, China, 26–29 October 2004. International Committee for Coal Research in association with China National Coal Association.
2004
Conference Publication
Management of recent spontaneous combustion events in Australian underground coal mines
Cliff, David I. (2004). Management of recent spontaneous combustion events in Australian underground coal mines. 13th International Conference on Coal Research, Shanghai, China, 26–29 October 2004. International Committee for Coal Research in association with China National Coal Association.
2003
Conference Publication
What works best at improving mine worker safety and why does it work
Mahon, E, Bofinger, C. M., Leveritt, S.J.R. and Cliff, D. I. (2003). What works best at improving mine worker safety and why does it work. Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference 2003, Townsville, Australia, 3-6 August 2003. Australia: Queensland Mining Council.
2003
Conference Publication
A Review of Queensland Level One Emergency Response Exercises
Cliff, D. I. (2003). A Review of Queensland Level One Emergency Response Exercises. Longwall 2003, Hunter Valley, Australia, 18-21 November 2003. Australia: IIR Conferences.
2003
Other Outputs
Workforce turnover in FIFO mining operations in Australia: An exploratory study
Beach, R., Brereton, D. J. and Cliff, D. I. (2003). Workforce turnover in FIFO mining operations in Australia: An exploratory study. Brisbane: CSRM and MISHC.
2003
Conference Publication
Managing Workforce Turnover on Remote Mine Sites in Australia
Beach, R., Cliff, D. I. and Brereton, D. J. (2003). Managing Workforce Turnover on Remote Mine Sites in Australia. Minesafe International 2003, Perth, Australia, 12 - 15 October 2003. Western Australia: Chamber of Minerals.
2002
Journal Article
Ventilation Officer Training in Underground Coal Mines
Cliff, D. I. (2002). Ventilation Officer Training in Underground Coal Mines. Journal of the Mine Ventilation Society of South Africa, 55 (October/December), 167-168.
2002
Conference Publication
Estimating the Health Risk from the Exposure of Respirable Dust in Queensland Underground Longwall Mines
Cliff, D. I. and Kizil, G. (2002). Estimating the Health Risk from the Exposure of Respirable Dust in Queensland Underground Longwall Mines. Townsville, 4-7 August, 2002. Brisbane: Queensland Mining Council.
2002
Other Outputs
What Works Best at Improving Mine Worker Safety and Why Does it Work
Bofinger, C. M., Mahon, E, Cliff, D. I. and Leveritt, S. J. R. (2002). What Works Best at Improving Mine Worker Safety and Why Does it Work. Brisbane: Australian Coal Association Research Program.
2002
Other Outputs
A Borehole Device for Investigating Inaccessible Areas
Cliff, D. I. and Lakeland, J. (2002). A Borehole Device for Investigating Inaccessible Areas. Brisbane: Australian Coal Association Research Program.
2001
Journal Article
Fitness for duty findings of the ACARP study
Bofinger, C, Mahen, E, Cliff, D. I. and Heiler, K (2001). Fitness for duty findings of the ACARP study. Queensland Government Mining Journal, 101 (November), 27-34.
2001
Other Outputs
Fitness for duty a scopying study - Issues and research needs
Cliff, D. I., Bofinger, C, Mahen, E and Heiler, K (2001). Fitness for duty a scopying study - Issues and research needs. Brisbane, Australia: Australian Coal Assoc Research Program.
2001
Conference Publication
Fitness for duty a scoping study
Bofinger, C, Mahen, E, Cliff, D. I. and Heiler, K (2001). Fitness for duty a scoping study. Queensland Mining Council Industry Health & Safety Conference, Townsville, Australia, Aug 2001. Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Mining Council.
2001
Edited Outputs
Fly-in Fly-out operation - Issues and management
D. I. Cliff and M. Roche eds. (2001). Fly-in Fly-out operation - Issues and management. Fly-in Fly out operation - Issues and management, Townsville and Brisbane, Australia, Feb 2001. Brisbane: Queensland Mining Council.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor David Cliff is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Characterising the Nature of Respirable Dust in Underground Coal Mines to Inform the Assessment and Management of Respiratory Health Risks to Coal Mine Workers
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Kelly Johnstone
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Doctor Philosophy
Safety leadership and its impact on serious injuries and fatalities
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Danellie Lynas, Professor Maureen Hassall
Completed supervision
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Developing risk management practices and protocols for the African Mining and Energy Infrastructure Industries
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jill Harris
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Improving organisational learning from incidents through effective incident investigations: A study of the Ghanaian mining industry
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Maureen Hassall
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Integration of Health and Safety Risk Management into the Implementation of Gold Processing Technology in Artisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASM) Communities in the Philippines
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Maureen Hassall
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
"Design and development of a methodology to monitor PM10 dust particles produced by industrial activities using UAVs"
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Erskine
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Improving fire safety and asset loss control in mining: Evaluation and development of a video based fire detection system
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tim Horberry
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
The impact of non-technical issues on decision-making by coal mining incident management teams
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Robin Burgess-Limerick
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2010
Doctor Philosophy
Establishing a safety-based risk control effectiveness score as an alternative to conventional acceptable risk analysis and evaluation methods
Principal Advisor
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Managing whole-body vibration at surface and underground coal mines
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Robin Burgess-Limerick
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
The relationship of gas evolution and odour to the stages of coal self-heating
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor David Cliff directly for media enquiries about:
- Coal mine fires
- Dust - mine site safety
- Emergency procedures - mining
- Explosions - mines
- Fires and mining
- Fitness for duty - minerals industry
- Gas analysis - mining
- Health and mining work
- Incident management - mining
- Mine fires
- Mine site safety
- Minerals industry safety
- Occupational Health and Safety - minerals industry
- Occupational health and safety in mining
- Occupational hygiene - mines
- Respirable dust - mine site safety
- Safety - minerals industry
- Spontaneous combustion
- Work hours - mining
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