❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses the Minister for Employment Protection regarding reportable incidents, specifically chemical exposures, at the Alcoa Kwinana Refinery, questioning the adequacy of current reporting practices under the Mining Act 1978. The Minister's response clarifies reporting requirements and Alcoa's internal incident recording system.
AnsweredQoN 2476Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(a) what is the distinction between a reportable incident and a non-reportable incident resulting in injury at this site;
(b) how many reportable incidents have been recorded, when did they happen and what was the nature of those incidents;
(c) is the Minister aware that since the liquor burner was recommissioned, there have been at least nine incidents involving chemical exposure to dust, vapours or chemicals at the Alcoa Kwinana Refinery (which is classified as a mine site), but none of those incidents were considered by Alcoa personnel to be reportable under the
Mining Act 1978
;
(d) given that chemical, dust or vapour exposure could have a devastating effect on the health of Alcoa staff, has the Minister given consideration to making all exposures at that site recordable under the
Mining Act 1978
;
(e) is the Minister aware that Alcoa’s own internal incident records indicate that the liquor burner is of a faulty design and construction; and
(f) is the Minister aware that Alcoa’s own internal incident records indicate that the reasons listed for some of the exposure incidents are the continuation of leaking seals, inadequate warnings, defective equipment, inadequate preventative maintenance and deteriorating exposure?
(b) how many reportable incidents have been recorded, when did they happen and what was the nature of those incidents;
(c) is the Minister aware that since the liquor burner was recommissioned, there have been at least nine incidents involving chemical exposure to dust, vapours or chemicals at the Alcoa Kwinana Refinery (which is classified as a mine site), but none of those incidents were considered by Alcoa personnel to be reportable under the
Mining Act 1978
;
(d) given that chemical, dust or vapour exposure could have a devastating effect on the health of Alcoa staff, has the Minister given consideration to making all exposures at that site recordable under the
Mining Act 1978
;
(e) is the Minister aware that Alcoa’s own internal incident records indicate that the liquor burner is of a faulty design and construction; and
(f) is the Minister aware that Alcoa’s own internal incident records indicate that the reasons listed for some of the exposure incidents are the continuation of leaking seals, inadequate warnings, defective equipment, inadequate preventative maintenance and deteriorating exposure?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 August 2007
Responded by
Minister for Employment Protection
Response time
54 days
(a) The following definition from Part 7, Division 2 of the
Mines Safety and
Inspection Act 1994
relates to the requirements for reporting accidents and occurrences.
Notice of accident to be given
76.
(1) Where a person suffers injury in an accident at a mine and is disabled by that accident from following his or her ordinary occupation, the manager must cause notice of the accident to be given --
(a) in accordance with the regulations, to the district inspector for the region in which the mine is situated; and
(b) if the injured person so requests, to the secretary or local representative of a trade union of which that person is a member.
(2) The notice required to be given under subsection (1) must --
(a) if the injury appears to be serious, be given by the fastest practicable method of communication as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, and must subsequently be confirmed in writing; and
(b) if the injury appears not to be serious, be given in writing at the end of the month.
(3) A manager who --
(a) omits to give a notice required to be given by subsection (1); or
(b) fails without reasonable excuse to give a notice required to be given by subsection (1) in accordance with subsection (2),
commits an offence, unless the required notice was given by the
principal employer at the mine.
(4) An injury is a serious injury for the purposes of this section if the injury --
(a) results in the injured person being disabled from following his or her ordinary occupation for a period of 2 weeks or more; or
(b) involves unconsciousness arising from inhalation of fumes or poisonous gases or asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen or displacement of oxygen by an inert gas; or
(c) results from an accident, including fuming, arising out of the use of explosives or blasting agents.
(b) One injury occurred on 10 January 2007 relating to the liquor burner operations. The incident concerned a discharge of compressed air during an inspection of the cooler discharge to the leach tank.
(c) Apart from those accidents and incidents required to be reported under the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act
(MSIA), Alcoa also records Injury Free Events typically not required to be reported under the MSIA.
(d) Those incidents with potential for impact on employees are reportable under the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994
.
(e) In the Alcoa Internal reporting system for these "Injury Free Events" a number of questions are answered by ticking the relevant summary responses from a set pro-forma responses including "Faulty design/construction". These pro-forma responses provide generic classification of actions or conditions contributing to an incident. This assists in enabling the incident to be addressed to protect the health and safety of site employees.
(f) See (e)
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Mines Safety and
Inspection Act 1994
relates to the requirements for reporting accidents and occurrences.
Notice of accident to be given
76.
(1) Where a person suffers injury in an accident at a mine and is disabled by that accident from following his or her ordinary occupation, the manager must cause notice of the accident to be given --
(a) in accordance with the regulations, to the district inspector for the region in which the mine is situated; and
(b) if the injured person so requests, to the secretary or local representative of a trade union of which that person is a member.
(2) The notice required to be given under subsection (1) must --
(a) if the injury appears to be serious, be given by the fastest practicable method of communication as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, and must subsequently be confirmed in writing; and
(b) if the injury appears not to be serious, be given in writing at the end of the month.
(3) A manager who --
(a) omits to give a notice required to be given by subsection (1); or
(b) fails without reasonable excuse to give a notice required to be given by subsection (1) in accordance with subsection (2),
commits an offence, unless the required notice was given by the
principal employer at the mine.
(4) An injury is a serious injury for the purposes of this section if the injury --
(a) results in the injured person being disabled from following his or her ordinary occupation for a period of 2 weeks or more; or
(b) involves unconsciousness arising from inhalation of fumes or poisonous gases or asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen or displacement of oxygen by an inert gas; or
(c) results from an accident, including fuming, arising out of the use of explosives or blasting agents.
(b) One injury occurred on 10 January 2007 relating to the liquor burner operations. The incident concerned a discharge of compressed air during an inspection of the cooler discharge to the leach tank.
(c) Apart from those accidents and incidents required to be reported under the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act
(MSIA), Alcoa also records Injury Free Events typically not required to be reported under the MSIA.
(d) Those incidents with potential for impact on employees are reportable under the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994
.
(e) In the Alcoa Internal reporting system for these "Injury Free Events" a number of questions are answered by ticking the relevant summary responses from a set pro-forma responses including "Faulty design/construction". These pro-forma responses provide generic classification of actions or conditions contributing to an incident. This assists in enabling the incident to be addressed to protect the health and safety of site employees.
(f) See (e)
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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