Integral security and safety components of some potentially dangerous devices have been tampered with at a Queensland mine site, leading to police involvement.

Police have launched a combined effort with Queensland Workplace Health and Safety to investigate allegations equipment has been tampered with at a work site on Curtis Island. The inquiry stems from checks by the Gladstone police, when workers discovered nuts were missing from a number of chain block lifting devices.

The work site general manager said routine safety inspections of all equipment showed it had been intentionally damaged. Police will wait on the findings of Workplace Health and Safety Authorities before deciding whether it is a criminal offense.

Avoiding idle speculation, some commentators have pointed to recent protests over hiring arrangements and environmental concerns at nearby work-sites as a potential source of discontent.

Things could have turned out considerably worse, but luckily the missing pieces were discovered during mandatory pre-work safety checks.