❓ Hon Robin Chapple asks the Minister for Mines and Petroleum a series of detailed questions regarding ventilation systems at the Harlequin Mine, including complaints, inspections, non-compliance, and enforcement actions. The Minister refers to a previous question.
AnsweredQoN 2707Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Norseman Gold Operations and the Harlequin Mine, and ask -
(1) How many complaints have been received, either on the company’s internal reporting system or to the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP), concerning the primary ventilation system and the secondary ventilation system at the Harlequin Mine in the last five years?
(2) In relation to (1), -
(a) on what dates were the complaints recorded;
(b) what was the specific nature of the complaint;
(c) how long did it take to rectify each complaint; and
(d) what enforcement action was taken by the DMP inspectors involved to ensure that the problems were eradicated, to ensure the occupational health of the employees in that mine?
(3) How many inspections by DMP inspectors concerning the primary ventilation system, and the secondary ventilation system at the Harlequin Mine, have been conducted in the last five years?
(4) In relation to (3), -
(a) what were the dates for each inspection;
(b) the outcome of each inspection; and
(c) the specific process undertaken for each inspection including any enforcement action, that was taken by the DMP inspectors involved to ensure that the problems were eradicated, to ensure the occupational health of the employees in that mine?
(5) Has the DMP inspectorate been made aware, at any time and in any way, that there has been any form of non compliance of the primary ventilation system, and the secondary ventilation system at the Harlequin Mine?
(6) In relation to (5), -
(a) how were the DMP inspectors made aware of the non compliance;
(b) on what dates were they made aware of the non compliance;
(c) exactly how was the investigation conducted; and
(d) what enforcement action was taken by the DMP inspectors involved to ensure that the problems were eradicated to ensure the occupational health of the employees in that mine?
(7) Is it correct that, within the last 12 months, restrictions were imposed on a section of the HV1 area of the Harlequin Mine, by a DMP inspector because one of the primary ventilation fans was not working, and therefore the ventilation in that area of the mine could not support all usual operations?
(8) If yes to (7 ), -
(a) what specifically were the restrictions imposed;
(b) for how long was this section of the mine allowed to operate in this manner;
(c) what measures were put in place to monitor that the requirements of these restrictions were met; and
(d) on what date was it established by a DMP inspector; and
(e) specifically how was it established that this problem had been rectified, and that all primary ventilation fans were operating to the standards required in the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
?
(9) Is it correct that, within the last 30 months, a complaint was made to the DMP inspectorate about the ventilation in the HV6-5F area of the mine, and that a DMP inspector attended to investigate the problem?
(10) If no to (9), what is correct concerning this matter?
(11) If yes to (9), -
(a) what specifically was the complaint;
(b) what was the outcome of the investigation; and
(c) what enforcement action was taken the DMP inspectors involved to ensure that the problem was eradicated to ensure the occupational health of the employees in that mine?
(12) Is it correct that the DMP inspectorate has known for quite some time that there has been a problem with the ventilation in the Harlequin Mine, but has not taken the enforcement action necessary to see that this problem is resolved and not ongoing?
(13) If no to (12), what then is correct concerning this matter?
(14) Within the last three years, can the Minister state how many ventilation defects, deficiencies, non compliances, including an explanation for each entry, have been recorded in the ventilation log book as is required under regulation 9.8 of the regulations?
(15) If no to (14), why not?
(16) Have any sections of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
been breached in relation to (2), (4), (6), (7) and (9)?
(17) If yes to (16), -
(a) which sections have been breached; and
(b) what is the maximum penalty for each breach?
(18) Will the resident manager, or any other responsible person at Norseman Gold Harlequin Mine, be prosecuted for any of these breaches referred to in (16)?
(19) If no to (18), why not?
(1) How many complaints have been received, either on the company’s internal reporting system or to the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP), concerning the primary ventilation system and the secondary ventilation system at the Harlequin Mine in the last five years?
(2) In relation to (1), -
(a) on what dates were the complaints recorded;
(b) what was the specific nature of the complaint;
(c) how long did it take to rectify each complaint; and
(d) what enforcement action was taken by the DMP inspectors involved to ensure that the problems were eradicated, to ensure the occupational health of the employees in that mine?
(3) How many inspections by DMP inspectors concerning the primary ventilation system, and the secondary ventilation system at the Harlequin Mine, have been conducted in the last five years?
(4) In relation to (3), -
(a) what were the dates for each inspection;
(b) the outcome of each inspection; and
(c) the specific process undertaken for each inspection including any enforcement action, that was taken by the DMP inspectors involved to ensure that the problems were eradicated, to ensure the occupational health of the employees in that mine?
(5) Has the DMP inspectorate been made aware, at any time and in any way, that there has been any form of non compliance of the primary ventilation system, and the secondary ventilation system at the Harlequin Mine?
(6) In relation to (5), -
(a) how were the DMP inspectors made aware of the non compliance;
(b) on what dates were they made aware of the non compliance;
(c) exactly how was the investigation conducted; and
(d) what enforcement action was taken by the DMP inspectors involved to ensure that the problems were eradicated to ensure the occupational health of the employees in that mine?
(7) Is it correct that, within the last 12 months, restrictions were imposed on a section of the HV1 area of the Harlequin Mine, by a DMP inspector because one of the primary ventilation fans was not working, and therefore the ventilation in that area of the mine could not support all usual operations?
(8) If yes to (7 ), -
(a) what specifically were the restrictions imposed;
(b) for how long was this section of the mine allowed to operate in this manner;
(c) what measures were put in place to monitor that the requirements of these restrictions were met; and
(d) on what date was it established by a DMP inspector; and
(e) specifically how was it established that this problem had been rectified, and that all primary ventilation fans were operating to the standards required in the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
?
(9) Is it correct that, within the last 30 months, a complaint was made to the DMP inspectorate about the ventilation in the HV6-5F area of the mine, and that a DMP inspector attended to investigate the problem?
(10) If no to (9), what is correct concerning this matter?
(11) If yes to (9), -
(a) what specifically was the complaint;
(b) what was the outcome of the investigation; and
(c) what enforcement action was taken the DMP inspectors involved to ensure that the problem was eradicated to ensure the occupational health of the employees in that mine?
(12) Is it correct that the DMP inspectorate has known for quite some time that there has been a problem with the ventilation in the Harlequin Mine, but has not taken the enforcement action necessary to see that this problem is resolved and not ongoing?
(13) If no to (12), what then is correct concerning this matter?
(14) Within the last three years, can the Minister state how many ventilation defects, deficiencies, non compliances, including an explanation for each entry, have been recorded in the ventilation log book as is required under regulation 9.8 of the regulations?
(15) If no to (14), why not?
(16) Have any sections of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
been breached in relation to (2), (4), (6), (7) and (9)?
(17) If yes to (16), -
(a) which sections have been breached; and
(b) what is the maximum penalty for each breach?
(18) Will the resident manager, or any other responsible person at Norseman Gold Harlequin Mine, be prosecuted for any of these breaches referred to in (16)?
(19) If no to (18), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 October 2010
Responded by
Minister for Mines and Petroleum
Response time
35 days
Please refer to Parliamentary Question 2516.
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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
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