❓ Hon Robin Chapple asks the Minister for Mines and Petroleum about alleged safety breaches at Norseman Gold Company mines, referencing photographic and written evidence submitted to the Department of Mines and Petroleum. The Minister deflects, referring to a previous question.
AnsweredQoN 2703Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Norseman Gold Company and the Harlequin, the Bullen and the Okay Mines and the emails sent to Mr David (Jock) Watson of the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) inspectorate on 27 June 2009, containing a substantial amount of photographic evidence, and an email on 11 August 2009 containing a substantial amount of written material in the form of a diary, and ask -
(1) With respect to the email sent to Mr David (Jock) Watson, Employee Inspector of Mines, making complaint concerning multiple issues in all of the abovementioned mines on 27 June 2009, containing a substantial amount of photographic evidence, can the Minister state exactly how photographs concerning alleged breaches of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
were attached?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) With respect to the email sent to Mr David (Jock) Watson, Employee Inspector of Mines, making complaint concerning multiple issues in all of the abovementioned mines on 11 August 2009 containing a substantial amount of written material in the form of a diary concerning alleged breaches of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
, can the Minister state exactly how many pages were in the diary that was attached, and what period of time specifically that the diary covered?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Can the Minister state specifically the type of machinery depicted in the photographs referred to in (1), the condition of that machinery in relation to the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
, and the function of that machinery and all persons involved in, -
(a) charging operations;
(b) service crew operations including ventilation and secondary ventilation fans, services, pumps, manual scaling, HV cable and communications; and
(c) all other general operations including fuel pods, oil pods, refuge chambers, underground toilets and taking bundles of, large sheets of mesh underground?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) In respect to the photographic evidence, can the Minister state why the Komatsu WAPT 250 integrated tool carrier had no horn facility as depicted in the photographs referred to in (1), how long the horn facility had been missing, the importance of having a horn on all vehicles in relation to the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
, and what is the maximum penalty for this breach?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) In relation to (7), and in light of (5), was the resident manager or any other responsible persons at Norseman Gold prosecuted for breaching any sections or regulations of the legislation, given that this machine was used in all three mines?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(11) In reference to the photographic evidence, can the Minister state why the charge kettle that was in use at that mine was clearly depicted as laying down on the back of a ute in the photographs referred to in (1), and the reasons why a charge kettle should not be transported laying down?
(12) If no to (11), why not?
(13) Can the Minister state specifically how the charge kettle referred to in (11), was secured, including the earth strap, during charging operations, and how this would be regarded as a safe method of securing the charge kettle, and earthing it during charging operations given that the kettle was in fact laid down for transportation between charging operations?
(14) If no to (13), why not?
(15) Were any sections of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
breached in regards to (13), and if so, can the Minister state the sections that were breached, and the maximum penalty for each breach?
(16) If no to (15), why not?
(17) In relation to (15), was the resident manager or any other responsible person at Norseman Gold prosecuted for these breaches?
(18) If no to (17) why not?
(1) With respect to the email sent to Mr David (Jock) Watson, Employee Inspector of Mines, making complaint concerning multiple issues in all of the abovementioned mines on 27 June 2009, containing a substantial amount of photographic evidence, can the Minister state exactly how photographs concerning alleged breaches of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
were attached?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) With respect to the email sent to Mr David (Jock) Watson, Employee Inspector of Mines, making complaint concerning multiple issues in all of the abovementioned mines on 11 August 2009 containing a substantial amount of written material in the form of a diary concerning alleged breaches of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
, can the Minister state exactly how many pages were in the diary that was attached, and what period of time specifically that the diary covered?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Can the Minister state specifically the type of machinery depicted in the photographs referred to in (1), the condition of that machinery in relation to the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
, and the function of that machinery and all persons involved in, -
(a) charging operations;
(b) service crew operations including ventilation and secondary ventilation fans, services, pumps, manual scaling, HV cable and communications; and
(c) all other general operations including fuel pods, oil pods, refuge chambers, underground toilets and taking bundles of, large sheets of mesh underground?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) In respect to the photographic evidence, can the Minister state why the Komatsu WAPT 250 integrated tool carrier had no horn facility as depicted in the photographs referred to in (1), how long the horn facility had been missing, the importance of having a horn on all vehicles in relation to the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
, and what is the maximum penalty for this breach?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) In relation to (7), and in light of (5), was the resident manager or any other responsible persons at Norseman Gold prosecuted for breaching any sections or regulations of the legislation, given that this machine was used in all three mines?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(11) In reference to the photographic evidence, can the Minister state why the charge kettle that was in use at that mine was clearly depicted as laying down on the back of a ute in the photographs referred to in (1), and the reasons why a charge kettle should not be transported laying down?
(12) If no to (11), why not?
(13) Can the Minister state specifically how the charge kettle referred to in (11), was secured, including the earth strap, during charging operations, and how this would be regarded as a safe method of securing the charge kettle, and earthing it during charging operations given that the kettle was in fact laid down for transportation between charging operations?
(14) If no to (13), why not?
(15) Were any sections of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
breached in regards to (13), and if so, can the Minister state the sections that were breached, and the maximum penalty for each breach?
(16) If no to (15), why not?
(17) In relation to (15), was the resident manager or any other responsible person at Norseman Gold prosecuted for these breaches?
(18) If no to (17) 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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