Grosvenor Inquiry. There were, can I suggest, 27 methane HPIs on longwall 102? There was an acknowledgment that continued HPIs with methane greater than 2.5 per cent was not satisfactory and the mine must ensure that such HPIs are minimised and preferably eliminated going forward?
At the Grosvenor Inquiry, Inspector Smith was taken to the MRE of the 8th of May 2018 by Inspectors Marlborough and Gouldstone where the number of Methane HPI’s since LW 102 commenced was documented. MRE – Grosvenor Coal Mine – 9.5.2018
We explained that the mine had reported 32 HPIs since LW 102 had commenced production in January 2018.
This represented 60% of all HPIs in Queensland associated with Methane greater than 2.5% in the Longwall tailgate.
there was an acknowledgment that continued HPIs with methane greater than 2.5 per cent was not satisfactory and the mine must ensure that such HPIs are minimised and preferably eliminated going forward?
I have collated the Methane HPI’s in my possession for 2018. They are in the documents directly below
Whichever the number is 32 or 27, is besides the point.
Unfortunately, the deliberate restrictive time frames imposed by Minister Lynham in the Grosvenor Inquiry and the conscious decision to not call any of the Inspectors who actually Inspected resulted in none of the preceding MRE’s were ever mentioned.
To more fully understand the spiral to disaster at Grosvenor, in the next post we will look at the contents of the MRE’s of the Inspectors about LW 102, starting in January 2018
The following is part of Inspector Smith’s testimony at the Grosvenor inquiry
Q So that’s December 2016. Is it your understanding that that direction was given against a background of high potential incidents involving events of that nature that went back as far as February 2016?
A. I’m afraid I’d have to —
Q You don’t know.
A I don’t know, yes.
Q Let’s see if you accept this proposition: notwithstanding the giving of that direction, there were multiple HPIs of a similar sort in the months, indeed years, that followed?
A I would accept that, yes.
Q There were, can I suggest, 27 methane HPIs on longwall 102?
A. The total number, I’m afraid I can’t affirm or deny.
Q Let’s have a look at the mine record entry for 9 May 2018, which is RSH.002.273.0001. Do you recall seeing that?
A I have seen that MRE, yes.
Q If we go to page 3, do you see at paragraph 5 there was an acknowledgment that continued HPIs with methane greater than 2.5 per cent was not satisfactory and the mine must ensure that such HPIs are minimised and preferably eliminated going forward?
A. Yes, I do.
Q. If we go back to the first page, please, and scroll down so we can see the text at the foot of the page, please, do you see there it is said:
We explained that the mine had reported 32 HPIs since LW 102 had commenced production in January 2018.
And this is May 2018.
This represented 60% of all HPIs in Queensland associated with Methane greater than 2.5% in the Longwall tailgate.
A. Yes.
