❓ Hon Alison Xamon questions the Minister for Mines and Petroleum regarding airborne silica monitoring during hydraulic fracturing operations at Woodada Deep-1, Arrowsmith-2, and Senecio-2, focusing on worker safety and public access to monitoring results. The Minister provides information on safety audits and operator awareness of silica hazards, but states the department cannot release monitoring results publicly.
AnsweredQoN 535Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
HYDRAULIC
FRACTURING — WORKER SAFETY
535. Hon ALISON XAMON to the Minister for Mines and
Petroleum:
I refer to the United States
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the United States National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recent hazard alert regarding
silica exposure for workers engaged in hydraulic fracturing.
(1) What
monitoring for airborne silica levels was, is being or will be undertaken
during the hydraulic fracturing operations at —
(a) Woodada Deep-1;
(b) Arrowsmith-2; and
(c) Senecio-2?
(2) If no
monitoring is being undertaken, how will the department ensure worker safety,
particularly in light of recent photos of fraccing proppant spilled on trucks
and across the ground at the Woodada Deep site?
(3) If
monitoring has been, is being and will be undertaken, will the results of that
monitoring be made public?
(4) If not, why not?
FRACTURING — WORKER SAFETY
535. Hon ALISON XAMON to the Minister for Mines and
Petroleum:
I refer to the United States
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the United States National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recent hazard alert regarding
silica exposure for workers engaged in hydraulic fracturing.
(1) What
monitoring for airborne silica levels was, is being or will be undertaken
during the hydraulic fracturing operations at —
(a) Woodada Deep-1;
(b) Arrowsmith-2; and
(c) Senecio-2?
(2) If no
monitoring is being undertaken, how will the department ensure worker safety,
particularly in light of recent photos of fraccing proppant spilled on trucks
and across the ground at the Woodada Deep site?
(3) If
monitoring has been, is being and will be undertaken, will the results of that
monitoring be made public?
(4) If not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I do not know what the member has got against us finding some
unconventional gas. Yesterday it was dieback; today it is silicosis. I will
respond to the member's question.
(1) The Occupational Safety and Health
Regulations provide that the operator of a petroleum operation must not allow a
member of the workforce to be exposed to airborne hazardous substances above
recognised national exposure standards.
(a) A safety audit was performed on 2 August
2012 during fracturing operations at Woodada Deep-1 and the following question
was asked: ''What monitoring is being conducted to establish that the
risk to the health of personnel from dust, fumes, chemicals and biological
agents is ALARP?''—that is, as low as reasonably practicable.
AWE Ltd, the operator, monitors air quality using a specialist contractor to
take a baseline reading and further measurements during operations. AWE
indicated that dust from handling of the sand had been identified as a potential
hazard and was aware of the hazard alert issued by the United States
Occupational Safety and Health Administration–National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health.
(b) A safety audit was undertaken on 26 July
2012 at Arrowsmith-2. Norwest Energy, the operator, was also aware of the
hazard alert issued by the United States Occupational Safety and Health
Administration–National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
It also stated that a procedure is in place for handling of the sand, and additional
personal protective equipment is mandatory during handling.
(c) No safety audit has been performed at
Senecio-2. AWE's monitoring program at this site will be based on the
readings taken at Woodada Deep-1, which will demonstrate the effectiveness of
their controls for consideration of further monitoring.
(2) Based on the audits to date, the
Department of Mines and Petroleum is confident that worker safety is being
addressed at these sites.
(3)–(4) The relevant legislation
does not authorise DMP to make the results of the monitoring public. However,
the proponent could voluntarily decide to make these results public.
unconventional gas. Yesterday it was dieback; today it is silicosis. I will
respond to the member's question.
(1) The Occupational Safety and Health
Regulations provide that the operator of a petroleum operation must not allow a
member of the workforce to be exposed to airborne hazardous substances above
recognised national exposure standards.
(a) A safety audit was performed on 2 August
2012 during fracturing operations at Woodada Deep-1 and the following question
was asked: ''What monitoring is being conducted to establish that the
risk to the health of personnel from dust, fumes, chemicals and biological
agents is ALARP?''—that is, as low as reasonably practicable.
AWE Ltd, the operator, monitors air quality using a specialist contractor to
take a baseline reading and further measurements during operations. AWE
indicated that dust from handling of the sand had been identified as a potential
hazard and was aware of the hazard alert issued by the United States
Occupational Safety and Health Administration–National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health.
(b) A safety audit was undertaken on 26 July
2012 at Arrowsmith-2. Norwest Energy, the operator, was also aware of the
hazard alert issued by the United States Occupational Safety and Health
Administration–National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
It also stated that a procedure is in place for handling of the sand, and additional
personal protective equipment is mandatory during handling.
(c) No safety audit has been performed at
Senecio-2. AWE's monitoring program at this site will be based on the
readings taken at Woodada Deep-1, which will demonstrate the effectiveness of
their controls for consideration of further monitoring.
(2) Based on the audits to date, the
Department of Mines and Petroleum is confident that worker safety is being
addressed at these sites.
(3)–(4) The relevant legislation
does not authorise DMP to make the results of the monitoring public. However,
the proponent could voluntarily decide to make these results public.
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