After three Renison mine deaths in three years, a lengthy investigation by a Tasmanian coroner has found “fundamental deficiencies” in Tasmania’s workplace safety legislation.

Jarrod Jones and Matthew Lister died in a rockfall at Renison’s underground mine near Zeehan in 2001.

Only two years later came the death of Sidney Pearse in a similar accident at the mine.

Coroner Don Jones has this week released his findings into the deaths which show that cable bolts supporting areas of the mine were too short meaning two of the men killed were using a faulty machine.

“These inquests have highlighted what I perceive to be fundamental deficiencies in the current legislation applicable to mining in Tasmania”, Jones said in his published findings.

“Whilst the current legislation, the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995, is applicable to mining it is a more generalised approach while mining requires more industry-specific legislation due to the nature of its operations.”

To reach appropriate standards of safety, Jones said there has to be a well-resourced, amply qualified regulatory authority invested with the power to ensure owners or board members are not able to starve mining personal of funds needed to implement safety measures, he said.

Those provisions should ensure those responsible for the management and operations of the mine have the power or authority to suspend mining operations when the issues relating to safety become of significant concern, he said.