Checked 31 October 2026. RSHQ says underground certificates of competency move to a 3-stage examination process in 2027. Requirements as in the Board of Examiners Deputy (underground coal) checklist and RSHQ's coal mining competencies (updated 26 May 2026), read on 31 October 2026; Act current as at 1 July 2026, Regulation as at 1 September 2026.
In a Queensland underground coal mine, the deputy's certificate of competency is one of the board qualifications accepted, alongside the first and second class certificates, for appointment to control an explosion risk zone or to run the mine's underground activities when the underground mine manager is away, and for supervising shotfiring. To get it from the Board of Examiners you need at least 3 years underground, with 2 of them at the face, a Certificate IV (or a Board-accepted tertiary qualification with set units) and other certificates, then a pass in the legislation (law) exam followed by an oral exam. This guide sets out each requirement, what the law lets a deputy do, and how to prepare for both exams.
ProSyllabus is an independent study site. It is not part of Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) or the Board of Examiners, and our practice questions are written by us, not taken from any Board of Examiners exam.
RSHQ Board of Examiners application checklist, Deputy underground coal; RSHQ, Examinations (updated 28 Oct 2026), read 31 Oct 2026.
What the deputy's certificate lets you do
The Act and Regulation name the deputy's certificate, alongside the first and second class certificates of competency, for these duties. For the two appointments in s 60(8) and (9), the person must also hold the practising certificate the Board requires, and s 60(14) limits who can be appointed to employees of the operator (or, for s 60(8), an associated entity) or of an entity that employs or engages 80% or more of the mine's coal mine workers.
| Role or duty | Who appoints | Board qualification accepted | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control and management of underground activities when the underground mine manager is not in attendance at the mine | Underground mine manager | First or second class, or deputy's, certificate of competency | Act s 60(8) |
| Control of activities in 1 or more explosion risk zones (ERZ controller) | Underground mine manager | First or second class, or deputy's, certificate of competency | Act s 60(9) |
| Directly supervising and controlling operations where shotfiring is taking place | Underground mine manager must ensure it | First class, second class or deputy's certificate of competency | Reg s 210 |
| Inspections identified by the risk assessment, and presence during hot work outside a permanent underground workshop | Under the safety and health management system | First or second class, or deputy's, certificate of competency | Reg s 265(3) |
| Inspecting a permanent underground workshop for flammable gas before hot work | Under the safety and health management system | First or second class, or deputy's, certificate of competency | Reg s 266(3) |
Sources: Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 (Qld), current as at 1 July 2026, s 60; Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017, current as at 1 September 2026, ss 210, 265 and 266.
The ERZ controller role carries its own duties in the Regulation. The ERZ controller must carry out a regular periodic inspection of the zone, first reading the record of the latest regular periodic inspection findings and acknowledging in writing, on that record, that it has been read (s 307), and must be present in an ERZ1 whenever coal or stone is being mined or strata control activities are being carried out there, apart from the exceptions in s 315(2). Anyone carrying out an inspection must, if practicable, make an unsafe thing safe immediately; if it cannot be made safe immediately, take all practicable steps to ensure people whose safety may be threatened are notified immediately; erect a barrier so people do not unknowingly enter; and, if necessary, stop operations and withdraw people (s 308). RSHQ's competency list adds that an ERZ controller needs RIIRIS402E (or equivalent) as well as the certificate.
The requirements, from the Board of Examiners checklist
The Deputy (underground coal) checklist asks for a CV and your work history on RSHQ's template, equal to at least 3 years' experience made up as follows.
| Part of the 3 years | What it includes |
|---|---|
| 2 years directly involved in winning coal at the coal face | At least 6 months in a gateroad development panel; at least 6 months in a mains development panel or a bord and pillar development panel; at least 12 months in a longwall extraction panel |
| 1 year in and around operations that support coal winning | The checklist says it should include exposure to gas drainage, secondary support, mine transport and supply, and mine ventilation; taking part in an incident investigation; taking part in firing a shot underground; exposure to control of the working environment (fitness for work, heat, dust and coal mine gases); taking part in developing or reviewing an SOP or principal hazard management plan |
RSHQ Board of Examiners application checklist, Deputy underground coal. The face minimums add up to 24 months (our arithmetic), the 2 years at the face.
Qualifications and documents on the checklist
- A statement of attainment for RII40420 Certificate IV in Underground Coal Mining Operations (as the checklist names it), or a relevant tertiary qualification the Board accepts that includes the mandatory core units RIIRIS402 (carry out the risk management process), RIIERR402 (emergency preparedness and response systems), RIIMCU406 (apply and monitor the inrush management plan), RIIMCU408 (apply the spontaneous combustion management plan) and support shotfiring (the checklist prints the code as "RIBLA202"; confirm the correct code with the Board) or RIIBLA302 (conduct shotfiring).
- A certificate of attendance for an emergency response course.
- A Certificate of Proficiency in Mine Gases and Gas Testing, obtained within the last 5 years.
- Current statements of attainment for HLTAID011 Provide First Aid and HLTAID009 Provide CPR.
- An endorsement of your readiness to apply and sit the examinations from the underground mine manager and the site senior executive.
- A Queensland statutory declaration if you cannot get signatures for your work history; all qualifications verified by a Justice of the Peace or a Commissioner for Declarations.
RSHQ Board of Examiners application checklist, Deputy underground coal.
Free practice questions
The deputy's law exam comes before the oral, so it is the first exam to pass. Try a few free questions on the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 and Regulation 2017 in our quiz player. You get a result page and an explanation for every answer, with the section it comes from.
Written by ProSyllabus from the current Act and Regulation. They are not Board of Examiners questions.
From application to certificate
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Apply | Through the RSHQ Portal, after identity verification to 'standard' strength. Schedule 8, Part 1 of the Regulation sets the fee at 26.60 fee units; RSHQ's 2026–27 fact sheet gives $30.14 excluding GST. |
| 2. Eligibility | The Board reviews your application. If it is approved to progress, you are told to sit the legislation examination. |
| 3. Law exam | 2 hours, 2 parts, closed book, on the CMSH Act 1999 and Regulation 2017; 70% needed in each part. |
| 4. Oral exam | Only after you pass the law exam. |
| 5. Practise | Hold the practising certificate the Board requires, and keep up continuing professional development under Chapter 4A of the Regulation. |
Sources: RSHQ Deputy checklist, Certificates of competency and Examinations pages; Regulation Schedule 8, Part 1 and Chapter 4A. You must complete the application and exam process within 3 years of applying; if you have not received the certificate in that time, you submit a new application.
RSHQ says underground certificates of competency will move to a 3-stage examination process in 2027, and that communications will be provided to industry as each phase is implemented. If you plan to apply late in 2026 or in 2027, ask the Board of Examiners Secretary which process will apply to you.
The oral resit rules are stricter than the written ones. After a first unsuccessful oral attempt with a result above 30% but below 70%, you wait at least 6 months from receipt of the result letter and must send a report of the actions you have taken (topics, dates, mentors or coaches), endorsed by the site senior executive and, for underground positions, the underground mine manager. After a first unsuccessful attempt scoring 30% or less, or a second unsuccessful attempt, you submit the required endorsed report, the Board considers whether you are eligible for further assessment, and a 12-month waiting period applies from the date of notification of the result letter. After a first unsuccessful written attempt with a result above 30% but below 70%, you can sit again 3 months from the exam result notification.
What to read for the deputy's law exam
RSHQ says the questions cover the legislation relevant to the position plus general health and safety. For a deputy, this is our reading list, from the sections that name the deputy's certificate or the duties a deputy carries out.
| Topic | Read |
|---|---|
| Risk and obligations | Act ss 18, 19, 29–31 (risk, hazard, acceptable level of risk); s 39 (obligations of persons generally); Part 3 as a whole |
| Underground management | Act s 60 (underground mine manager and the appointments in s 60(8) and (9)); s 56 (supervisors); s 62 (safety and health management system) |
| Supervising | Regulation Chapter 2, Part 3A (supervisor's responsibilities) and Part 11A (supervising workers) |
| Inspections and ERZs | Regulation Chapter 4: ss 305–316 (inspections, ERZ controller, inspection districts, uninspected parts of the mine) |
| Explosives | Regulation Chapter 4, Part 6, including s 210 (supervising shotfiring) |
| Gas and ventilation | Regulation Chapter 4, Part 7 (gas monitoring) and Part 11 (ventilation) |
| Hot work and workshops | Regulation ss 265 and 266 |
| Emergencies and incidents | Regulation Chapter 4, Parts 3 and 4 (emergencies, rescue and communication); Act ss 198–201 (accidents and incidents) |
Source: Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 and Regulation 2017, current reprints, tables of contents and sections named. Our selection, not an official syllabus.
Queensland coal mining law exam practice test
Before the deputy's law exam, check you can score at least 70% on Act questions and on Regulation questions separately. The ProSyllabus practice test has 120 questions in 6 topic sets of 20 (3 on the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999, 3 on the Regulation 2017), plus three mixed mocks of 40 (20 Act + 20 Regulation, the same questions regrouped) that hold your Act score and your Regulation score each to 70%, all played in our quiz player. Every answer is explained with the section of the Act or Regulation it comes from. Start with the free questions.
Frequently asked questions
What experience do I need for a deputy's certificate in Queensland?
RSHQ's checklist asks for at least 3 years: 2 years directly winning coal at the face (including at least 6 months in a gateroad development panel, 6 months in a mains or bord and pillar development panel and 12 months on a longwall extraction panel) and 1 year in operations that support coal winning.
What qualification do I need?
A statement of attainment for RII40420 Certificate IV in Underground Coal Mining Operations (as the checklist names it), or a relevant tertiary qualification the Board accepts with the core units it lists, plus an emergency response course, a mine gases and gas testing certificate from the last 5 years, and current first aid and CPR.
Is there an exam for the deputy's certificate?
Yes, two. First the Board of Examiners legislation exam (2 hours, 2 parts, closed book, 70% in each part), then an oral exam, which you can sit only after passing the law exam.
How much does the deputy application cost?
Schedule 8, Part 1 of the Regulation sets 26.60 fee units for an application for assessment for a deputy's certificate; RSHQ's 2026–27 fact sheet gives $30.14 excluding GST.
Can a deputy be an ERZ controller?
Yes. Section 60(9) of the Act lets the underground mine manager appoint a holder of a first or second class, or deputy's, certificate of competency, with the practising certificate, to control activities in explosion risk zones. RSHQ's competency list also asks for RIIRIS402E or equivalent.
What happens if I fail the oral?
After a first unsuccessful attempt with a result above 30% but below 70%, you wait at least 6 months and send an endorsed report of what you have done to fix the gaps the Board identified. A result of 30% or less is treated as a second unsuccessful attempt: you submit the required endorsed report, the Board decides whether you are eligible for further assessment, and a 12-month wait applies.
Is the deputy exam changing?
RSHQ says underground certificates of competency will move to a 3-stage examination process in 2027, and that communications will be provided to industry as each phase is implemented.
Sources
- official — RSHQ Board of Examiners: Application checklist, Deputy underground coal (DOCX)
- official — RSHQ: Coal mining competencies recognised by the Coal Mining Safety and Health Advisory Committee, updated 26 May 2026
- official — RSHQ: Examinations (coal mining exam format, 70% per part, venues, resit conditions), updated 28 Oct 2026
- official — RSHQ: Certificates of competency (Practising Certificate Scheme, 3-year limit, online exams), updated 29 Oct 2026
- official — RSHQ: Fees for Board of Examiners applications fact sheet 2026–27 (PDF)
- official — Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 (Qld), current as at 1 July 2026
- official — Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017 (Qld), current as at 1 September 2026
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
