❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Mines and Petroleum regarding the cleanliness, hygiene, and usability of an underground toilet facility at Barrick Gold's Kanowna Belle mine, alleging potential breaches of safety regulations and disregard for worker health. The Minister deflected the question by referring to another parliamentary question.
AnsweredQoN 2538Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the photographs available for viewing at
http://www.robinchapple.org.au/node/460
entitled ‘2010-02-01 Kanowna Belle UG Toilet.pdf’ of an underground toilet facility taken on 1 February 2010, on the surface at the Kanowna Belle mine in the Kalgoorlie region owned by Barrick Gold, and ask -
(1) With regards to the photographs referred to above, does the Resources Safety Division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP), consider the toilet facility, as depicted in the photographs, to be clean and hygienic and in good working order?
(2) If yes to (1), why?
(3) If no to (1), why not?
(4) With regards to the toilet facility depicted in the photographs referred to in (1) , can the Minister state specifically where the hand wash facilities and soap and sanitary bin are located?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) With regards to the toilet facility depicted in the photographs referred to in (1), can the Minister state in what manner a female was expected to maintain her decency, when she removed her overalls, if she were to use this toilet facility?
(7) If no to (6), why not?
(8) With regards to the toilet facility depicted in the photographs referred to in (1), can the Minister state in what manner a female was expected to deal with times of menstruation, and in fact what she or any other employee at the lower levels in the mine were expected to do, if they needed to use a toilet for any reason in the Kanowna Belle Mine, given that this toilet facility is obviously unusable?
(9) If no to (8), why not?
(10) In light of (1), (4), (6) and (8), can the Minister state specifically what is the risk to workers occupational health, given that this toilet facility referred to above is reported to have been in this condition, for up to 30 months?
(11) If no to (10), why not?
(12) Can the Minister state how many inspections have been carried out by the DMP inspectorate in the previous 30 months at the Kanowna Belle Mine?
(13) If no to (12), why not?
(14) Were any complaints/concerns recorded, both on the internal reporting system including in the Safety Toolbox Meeting Minutes Book and/or with the DMP, concerning this toilet facility depicted in the photographs referred to in (1), and depicted in the photographs in the last 30 months?
(15) If yes to (14), -
(a) how many complaints/concerns were received by management of the company;
(b) on what date was each complaint/concern received;
(c) what specifically was each complaint/concern;
(d) what was done by the management of the company to resolve each issue; and
(e) how long did each issue take to resolve?
(16) With reference to (14), -
(a) how many complaints/concerns were received by DMP inspectorate;
(b) on what date was each complaint/concern received;
(c) what specifically was done by the DMP inspectorate to address each issue that was raised; and
(d) on what date was each issue resolved?
(17) In light of (4), (6), (8), (10), (15) and (16), does the Minister believe that the situation referred to in question (1) above does in fact represent a blatant disregard by all responsible persons at the Kanowna Belle Mine, for the occupational health of all employees working in that mine?
(18) If no to (17), why not?
(19) In light of (1), (4), (6), (8) (10), (15), (16) and (17), have any sections of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
been breached, including Regulations 7.12 and 7.13, which specific sections have been breached and what is the maximum penalty for each breach?
(20) If yes to (19), will any responsible persons from Barrick Kanowna, including the resident manager, be prosecuted for these breaches?
(21) If no to (20), why not?
http://www.robinchapple.org.au/node/460
entitled ‘2010-02-01 Kanowna Belle UG Toilet.pdf’ of an underground toilet facility taken on 1 February 2010, on the surface at the Kanowna Belle mine in the Kalgoorlie region owned by Barrick Gold, and ask -
(1) With regards to the photographs referred to above, does the Resources Safety Division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP), consider the toilet facility, as depicted in the photographs, to be clean and hygienic and in good working order?
(2) If yes to (1), why?
(3) If no to (1), why not?
(4) With regards to the toilet facility depicted in the photographs referred to in (1) , can the Minister state specifically where the hand wash facilities and soap and sanitary bin are located?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) With regards to the toilet facility depicted in the photographs referred to in (1), can the Minister state in what manner a female was expected to maintain her decency, when she removed her overalls, if she were to use this toilet facility?
(7) If no to (6), why not?
(8) With regards to the toilet facility depicted in the photographs referred to in (1), can the Minister state in what manner a female was expected to deal with times of menstruation, and in fact what she or any other employee at the lower levels in the mine were expected to do, if they needed to use a toilet for any reason in the Kanowna Belle Mine, given that this toilet facility is obviously unusable?
(9) If no to (8), why not?
(10) In light of (1), (4), (6) and (8), can the Minister state specifically what is the risk to workers occupational health, given that this toilet facility referred to above is reported to have been in this condition, for up to 30 months?
(11) If no to (10), why not?
(12) Can the Minister state how many inspections have been carried out by the DMP inspectorate in the previous 30 months at the Kanowna Belle Mine?
(13) If no to (12), why not?
(14) Were any complaints/concerns recorded, both on the internal reporting system including in the Safety Toolbox Meeting Minutes Book and/or with the DMP, concerning this toilet facility depicted in the photographs referred to in (1), and depicted in the photographs in the last 30 months?
(15) If yes to (14), -
(a) how many complaints/concerns were received by management of the company;
(b) on what date was each complaint/concern received;
(c) what specifically was each complaint/concern;
(d) what was done by the management of the company to resolve each issue; and
(e) how long did each issue take to resolve?
(16) With reference to (14), -
(a) how many complaints/concerns were received by DMP inspectorate;
(b) on what date was each complaint/concern received;
(c) what specifically was done by the DMP inspectorate to address each issue that was raised; and
(d) on what date was each issue resolved?
(17) In light of (4), (6), (8), (10), (15) and (16), does the Minister believe that the situation referred to in question (1) above does in fact represent a blatant disregard by all responsible persons at the Kanowna Belle Mine, for the occupational health of all employees working in that mine?
(18) If no to (17), why not?
(19) In light of (1), (4), (6), (8) (10), (15), (16) and (17), have any sections of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
been breached, including Regulations 7.12 and 7.13, which specific sections have been breached and what is the maximum penalty for each breach?
(20) If yes to (19), will any responsible persons from Barrick Kanowna, including the resident manager, be prosecuted for these breaches?
(21) If no to (20), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 August 2010
Responded by
Minister for Mines and Petroleum
Response time
42 days
Please refer to parliamentary question 2516.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
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Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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