A WA parliamentary question addresses structural failures at BHP Billiton's Finucane Island site. The Minister responds, clarifying that only one failure was reported and no injuries occurred.

AnsweredQoN 402Legislative Council
Asked
2 June 2004
Portfolio
State Development

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the BHP Billiton Ltd Finucane Island site and inspections by the mines department. (1) Have there recently been three structural failures at this site? (2) If yes to (1), what were those failures, and will the minister table the mines department reports on those incidents? (3) If yes to (1), what were the strategic recommendations from the mines department to BHP Billiton to inhibit any further structural failures, and have these been addressed? (4) If yes to (1), was anyone injured in these incidents, and what were the injuries? If not, was there any potential for injury and of what nature? (5) Have any other mines department notices been served on the BHP Billiton Finucane Island site for any machinery failures; and, if so, for what and for how long has that machinery been out of action? Hon KEN TRAVERS

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised - (1) Recently - since January-February 2003 - the department has been notified of one structural failure at the BHP Billiton Finucane Island operations, which occurred on 23 October 2003. (2) A portion of a screen failed and dropped on a conveyor, which then caused a portion of the conveyor to collapse. The site was inspected by a special inspector - machinery to follow up the corrective measures taken by the company. The department did not consider that a formal investigation into the incident was warranted, so no internal investigation report was prepared. (3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
(1) Have there recently been three structural failures at this site? (2) If yes to (1), what were those failures, and will the minister table the mines department reports on those incidents? (3) If yes to (1), what were the strategic recommendations from the mines department to BHP Billiton to inhibit any further structural failures, and have these been addressed? (4) If yes to (1), was anyone injured in these incidents, and what were the injuries? If not, was there any potential for injury and of what nature? (5) Have any other mines department notices been served on the BHP Billiton Finucane Island site for any machinery failures; and, if so, for what and for how long has that machinery been out of action? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised - (1) Recently - since January-February 2003 - the department has been notified of one structural failure at the BHP Billiton Finucane Island operations, which occurred on 23 October 2003. (2) A portion of a screen failed and dropped on a conveyor, which then caused a portion of the conveyor to collapse. The site was inspected by a special inspector - machinery to follow up the corrective measures taken by the company. The department did not consider that a formal investigation into the incident was warranted, so no internal investigation report was prepared. (3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
(2) If yes to (1), what were those failures, and will the minister table the mines department reports on those incidents? (3) If yes to (1), what were the strategic recommendations from the mines department to BHP Billiton to inhibit any further structural failures, and have these been addressed? (4) If yes to (1), was anyone injured in these incidents, and what were the injuries? If not, was there any potential for injury and of what nature? (5) Have any other mines department notices been served on the BHP Billiton Finucane Island site for any machinery failures; and, if so, for what and for how long has that machinery been out of action? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised - (1) Recently - since January-February 2003 - the department has been notified of one structural failure at the BHP Billiton Finucane Island operations, which occurred on 23 October 2003. (2) A portion of a screen failed and dropped on a conveyor, which then caused a portion of the conveyor to collapse. The site was inspected by a special inspector - machinery to follow up the corrective measures taken by the company. The department did not consider that a formal investigation into the incident was warranted, so no internal investigation report was prepared. (3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
(3) If yes to (1), what were the strategic recommendations from the mines department to BHP Billiton to inhibit any further structural failures, and have these been addressed? (4) If yes to (1), was anyone injured in these incidents, and what were the injuries? If not, was there any potential for injury and of what nature? (5) Have any other mines department notices been served on the BHP Billiton Finucane Island site for any machinery failures; and, if so, for what and for how long has that machinery been out of action? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised - (1) Recently - since January-February 2003 - the department has been notified of one structural failure at the BHP Billiton Finucane Island operations, which occurred on 23 October 2003. (2) A portion of a screen failed and dropped on a conveyor, which then caused a portion of the conveyor to collapse. The site was inspected by a special inspector - machinery to follow up the corrective measures taken by the company. The department did not consider that a formal investigation into the incident was warranted, so no internal investigation report was prepared. (3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
(4) If yes to (1), was anyone injured in these incidents, and what were the injuries? If not, was there any potential for injury and of what nature? (5) Have any other mines department notices been served on the BHP Billiton Finucane Island site for any machinery failures; and, if so, for what and for how long has that machinery been out of action? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised - (1) Recently - since January-February 2003 - the department has been notified of one structural failure at the BHP Billiton Finucane Island operations, which occurred on 23 October 2003. (2) A portion of a screen failed and dropped on a conveyor, which then caused a portion of the conveyor to collapse. The site was inspected by a special inspector - machinery to follow up the corrective measures taken by the company. The department did not consider that a formal investigation into the incident was warranted, so no internal investigation report was prepared. (3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
(5) Have any other mines department notices been served on the BHP Billiton Finucane Island site for any machinery failures; and, if so, for what and for how long has that machinery been out of action? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised - (1) Recently - since January-February 2003 - the department has been notified of one structural failure at the BHP Billiton Finucane Island operations, which occurred on 23 October 2003. (2) A portion of a screen failed and dropped on a conveyor, which then caused a portion of the conveyor to collapse. The site was inspected by a special inspector - machinery to follow up the corrective measures taken by the company. The department did not consider that a formal investigation into the incident was warranted, so no internal investigation report was prepared. (3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised - (1) Recently - since January-February 2003 - the department has been notified of one structural failure at the BHP Billiton Finucane Island operations, which occurred on 23 October 2003. (2) A portion of a screen failed and dropped on a conveyor, which then caused a portion of the conveyor to collapse. The site was inspected by a special inspector - machinery to follow up the corrective measures taken by the company. The department did not consider that a formal investigation into the incident was warranted, so no internal investigation report was prepared. (3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I am advised - (1) Recently - since January-February 2003 - the department has been notified of one structural failure at the BHP Billiton Finucane Island operations, which occurred on 23 October 2003. (2) A portion of a screen failed and dropped on a conveyor, which then caused a portion of the conveyor to collapse. The site was inspected by a special inspector - machinery to follow up the corrective measures taken by the company. The department did not consider that a formal investigation into the incident was warranted, so no internal investigation report was prepared. (3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
(1) Recently - since January-February 2003 - the department has been notified of one structural failure at the BHP Billiton Finucane Island operations, which occurred on 23 October 2003. (2) A portion of a screen failed and dropped on a conveyor, which then caused a portion of the conveyor to collapse. The site was inspected by a special inspector - machinery to follow up the corrective measures taken by the company. The department did not consider that a formal investigation into the incident was warranted, so no internal investigation report was prepared. (3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
(2) A portion of a screen failed and dropped on a conveyor, which then caused a portion of the conveyor to collapse. The site was inspected by a special inspector - machinery to follow up the corrective measures taken by the company. The department did not consider that a formal investigation into the incident was warranted, so no internal investigation report was prepared. (3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
(3) See (2). (4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
(4) No-one was injured. (5) No.
(5) No.

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