❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses a nitric acid release at the Yara Pilbara Nitrates plant, inquiring about evacuation, cause, inspections, and the release of the incident report. The response clarifies details about the incident and explains why the report won't be released.
AnsweredQoN 518Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
YARA PILBARA NITRATES PTY LTD — TECHNICAL
AMMONIUM NITRATE PLANT
518. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Attorney General
representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to the operations of Yara
Pilbara Nitrates Pty Ltd on the Burrup Peninsula, and the release of nitric
acid on 27 April 2016.
(1) How many staff at the technical
ammonium nitrate plant were evacuated?
(2) What was the size of area
evacuated?
(3) What was the prevailing wind at
the time of the incident?
(4) Is it correct
that the cause of the leak was that components of the plant were constructed of
carbon steel?
(5) Has the plant
been inspected to ensure that no other carbon steel remains in the chemical
train of the plant?
(6) On what date
or dates was the Department of Mines and Petroleum advised of the incident and
did it visit the site?
(7) Will the minister release Yara's
incident investigation report; and, if not, why not?
AMMONIUM NITRATE PLANT
518. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Attorney General
representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to the operations of Yara
Pilbara Nitrates Pty Ltd on the Burrup Peninsula, and the release of nitric
acid on 27 April 2016.
(1) How many staff at the technical
ammonium nitrate plant were evacuated?
(2) What was the size of area
evacuated?
(3) What was the prevailing wind at
the time of the incident?
(4) Is it correct
that the cause of the leak was that components of the plant were constructed of
carbon steel?
(5) Has the plant
been inspected to ensure that no other carbon steel remains in the chemical
train of the plant?
(6) On what date
or dates was the Department of Mines and Petroleum advised of the incident and
did it visit the site?
(7) Will the minister release Yara's
incident investigation report; and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the Minister for Mines
and Petroleum, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) No personnel were evacuated.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) The prevailing wind was south
west at 18.5 kilometres an hour.
(4)–(5) Yes.
(6) The
Department of Mines and Petroleum was advised verbally on 27 April 2016 at
11.00 pm, and by email on 28 April 2016 at 11.13 am. The Department of Mines
and Petroleum did not visit the site.
(7) No. The report is a Yara
investigation report, not a Department of Mines and Petroleum report.
and Petroleum, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) No personnel were evacuated.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) The prevailing wind was south
west at 18.5 kilometres an hour.
(4)–(5) Yes.
(6) The
Department of Mines and Petroleum was advised verbally on 27 April 2016 at
11.00 pm, and by email on 28 April 2016 at 11.13 am. The Department of Mines
and Petroleum did not visit the site.
(7) No. The report is a Yara
investigation report, not a Department of Mines and Petroleum report.
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