Dugald River Restarting. Not our Problem according to RSHQ and Minister Comments
Below is the story by Sarah Elks at the Australian Newspaper on the 24th March about Dugald River Mine restarting mining operations.
The comments by RSHQ and Minister at the end are unbelievable in light of two men losing their lives in another set of unspecified disastrous set of circumstances.
Again no information about the actual type of Suspension of Operation for some 5 weeks. any findings of nature and cause, recommendations and remedial action taken as a result to achieve a demonstrably reasonable level of risk
RSHQ and Ministers Comments
RSHQ lifted the suspension on operations on Saturday, and MMG started mining again on Tuesday. An RSHQ spokeswoman said the investigations into the causes of the fatal incident were “still ongoing”.
“Identifying the cause of death is not within the jurisdiction of RSHQ,” she said.
Resources Minister Scott Stewart, when asked if he was satisfied it was safe for workers to return underground if the causes of the fatal accident had not been established, insisted the “safety of our resources workers remains my No. 1 priority”.
“The decision to reopen was the mine’s decision,” Mr Stewart said.
MY TAKE
The position as outlined by the RSHQ and Minister about it being totally up to the mine restarting production is totally illogical, against my understanding of the Legislation.
The RSHQ Inspectors have been the ones to lift their Directive(s) that allowed Dugald River to recommence mining operations.
I would point out to RSHQ that if RSHQ Inspectors had operations suspended until the 17th March, they can only have done so under either Section 164 or 166
164 Directive to suspend operations for unacceptable level of risk
(1) If an inspector, inspection officer or district workers’ representative “believes risk from operations is not at an acceptable level”, the inspector, officer or representative may give a directive to any person to “suspend operations in all or part of the mine”
166 Directive to suspend operations for ineffective safety and health management system
If an inspector believes there is not an effective safety and health management system for a mine or part of a mine, the inspector may give a directive “suspending operations in all or part of the mine.”
To lift or satisfy the Directive either the RSHQ Inspectors have to “believe risk from operations is now at an acceptable level” or that “an effective safety and health management system for a mine or part of a mine”
It is totally illogical if not impossible for these Directives to be lifted unless the Mine and RSHQ have concluded at least their primary Investigations as required by the Legislation.
They must now believe the circumstances and causes of the double fatality are sufficiently identified, addressed and /or controlled and the Safety and Health System has been sufficiently improved to prevent similar events occurring at Dugald River and other similar Mines.
Therefore it is not just a matter as the Minister so blithely puts it that the decision to restart was the Mines decision alone.
RSHQ for yet undisclosed reasons, believes that Dugald Mine Management and the Safety and Health Management System have operations at an acceptable level of risk and has permitted mining operations to recommence.
But what do the public and fellow mine workers get told.
The RSHQ and Minster continue their well worn pattern of comments, eg still under investigation, cannot comment on causes, no public information about what steps have been taken to bring the operations at Dugald River to “an acceptable level of risk”.
Just more of the same, same shroud of secrecy and total disrespect to the families and friends of those lost.
I would also point out to the RSHQ spokesperson that the findings of “causes of death” are done usually via a Police Report and then by a Coroner.
The problem for Mineworkers in Qld is that historically a Coroner only gets invited to conduct a Coroners hearing after RSHQ has concluded its investigation, decided not to prosecute and then decided there is sufficient reason to then ask the Coroner to Investigate.
The time period for this can be up to 3 years before RSHQ decides to recommend a Coronial Inquest and RSHQ will never release its Investigation Report if at all possible.
Since only about 7 Coronial Inquiries have occurred for around 50 deaths in Qld Mines since 2001, what are the odds an official cause of death will ever be found
The Minister just trots out his glib throw away lines he always spouts that “safety of our resources workers remains my No. 1 priority”.
All the while smelling the polished wood and leather of the Brisbane CBD Ministerial office in air conditioned comfort.
Sarah Elks (https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/sarah-elks) has been writing about Qld Mine Safety for a number of years for the Australian and this is her latest,
The mine-safety regulator has given MMG Limited the green light to restart underground operations at its northwest Queensland zinc site, despite still not knowing what caused an accident that killed two miners.
Trevor Davis, 36, and Dylan Langridge, 33, were fatally injured last month at the Dugald River zinc mine, outside Cloncurry, when the four-wheel-drive vehicle they were travelling in fell 15m down a previously filled hole, 125m underground.
The Hong Kong-listed MMG Limited was ordered by regulator Resources Safety and Health Queensland to suspend operations after the deaths, but told the stock exchange this week it had been approved to “recommence operations”.
“MMG would like to sincerely acknowledge the strong support and commitment the Dugald River operation has received from the local community and contract partners,” interim chief executive Li Liangang said.
“The safety and wellbeing of our people remains our first priority and the company has made additional support available as underground operations recommence.”
Davis and Langridge were working as a blast crew underground, laying explosive charges as part of the mining process, when the accident occurred.
Their vehicle drove over a backfilled hole, called a stope, that had been repurposed into an underground roadway.
A void unexpectedly opened in the stope. Their vehicle and another miner inside a large piece of machinery, a drilling rig, fell into the hole.
The third miner was swiftly rescued, but a recovery operation for Davis and Langridge could not reach their vehicle until 24 hours later, when their bodies were found.
RSHQ lifted the suspension on operations on Saturday, and MMG started mining again on Tuesday. An RSHQ spokeswoman said the investigations into the causes of the fatal incident were “still ongoing”.
“Identifying the cause of death is not within the jurisdiction of RSHQ,” she said.
Resources Minister Scott Stewart, when asked if he was satisfied it was safe for workers to return underground if the causes of the fatal accident had not been established, insisted the “safety of our resources workers remains my No. 1 priority”.
“The decision to reopen was the mine’s decision,” Mr Stewart said.
