❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks data on workplace gas release incidents in mineral processing plants, inquiring about injuries, fatalities, gas extraction equipment presence, and departmental safety measures. The Minister's response provides statistics and outlines regulatory approaches.
AnsweredQoN 777Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How many people have been injured through accidental gas releases in the work place? (2) How many people have died through accidental gas releases in the work place? (3) In how many of these accidents was gas extraction equipment in place? (4) What steps has the Department of Minerals and Energy taken to - (a) ensure that all mineral processing plant work places have installed gas extraction equipment; and (b) ensure that all extraction equipment has dedicated emergency power backup? Answered on 11 October 2000 The Minister
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 October 2000
Response time
35 days
(1) Over the period from January 1995 to date the number of people injured in Western Australian mineral processing plants as a result of accidental gas releases has been a total of 71 persons in 27 reported incidents. The breakdown of this total by year is: 1995 7 people 1996 4 people 1997 4 people 1998 35 people ? of which 28 were involved in one single event where extraction equipment would not have proven effective. 1999 8 people 2000 13 people (2) There have been no fatalities as a result of accidental gas releases in mineral processing plants in Western Australia during the five year period. (3) Gas extraction equipment was in place in 5 of the incidents reported. (4)(a) The Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 contains a number of regulations that deal with the identification and control of atmospheric hazards. Periodic checks are made by inspectors to ascertain compliance with all regulations. Gas extraction systems are only one of a number of control systems identified in the regulations and are not mandatory in every case. I am also advised that neither would they necessarily prove effective in every case. (b) Emergency power backup is one component that an operation may have available as part of a system for reducing exposure to hazards, and indeed many mining operations have such emergency power backup systems. However, such backup is not mandatory and other controls may be determined to be more appropriate in particular circumstances, for example, the initiation of warning alarms and the evacuation of personnel to a place of safety.
(2) How many people have died through accidental gas releases in the work place? (3) In how many of these accidents was gas extraction equipment in place? (4) What steps has the Department of Minerals and Energy taken to - (a) ensure that all mineral processing plant work places have installed gas extraction equipment; and (b) ensure that all extraction equipment has dedicated emergency power backup? Answered on 11 October 2000 The Minister Replied: (1) Over the period from January 1995 to date the number of people injured in Western Australian mineral processing plants as a result of accidental gas releases has been a total of 71 persons in 27 reported incidents. The breakdown of this total by year is: 1995 7 people 1996 4 people 1997 4 people 1998 35 people ? of which 28 were involved in one single event where extraction equipment would not have proven effective. 1999 8 people 2000 13 people (2) There have been no fatalities as a result of accidental gas releases in mineral processing plants in Western Australia during the five year period. (3) Gas extraction equipment was in place in 5 of the incidents reported. (4)(a) The Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 contains a number of regulations that deal with the identification and control of atmospheric hazards. Periodic checks are made by inspectors to ascertain compliance with all regulations. Gas extraction systems are only one of a number of control systems identified in the regulations and are not mandatory in every case. I am also advised that neither would they necessarily prove effective in every case. (b) Emergency power backup is one component that an operation may have available as part of a system for reducing exposure to hazards, and indeed many mining operations have such emergency power backup systems. However, such backup is not mandatory and other controls may be determined to be more appropriate in particular circumstances, for example, the initiation of warning alarms and the evacuation of personnel to a place of safety.
(3) In how many of these accidents was gas extraction equipment in place? (4) What steps has the Department of Minerals and Energy taken to - (a) ensure that all mineral processing plant work places have installed gas extraction equipment; and (b) ensure that all extraction equipment has dedicated emergency power backup? Answered on 11 October 2000 The Minister Replied: (1) Over the period from January 1995 to date the number of people injured in Western Australian mineral processing plants as a result of accidental gas releases has been a total of 71 persons in 27 reported incidents. The breakdown of this total by year is: 1995 7 people 1996 4 people 1997 4 people 1998 35 people ? of which 28 were involved in one single event where extraction equipment would not have proven effective. 1999 8 people 2000 13 people (2) There have been no fatalities as a result of accidental gas releases in mineral processing plants in Western Australia during the five year period. (3) Gas extraction equipment was in place in 5 of the incidents reported. (4)(a) The Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 contains a number of regulations that deal with the identification and control of atmospheric hazards. Periodic checks are made by inspectors to ascertain compliance with all regulations. Gas extraction systems are only one of a number of control systems identified in the regulations and are not mandatory in every case. I am also advised that neither would they necessarily prove effective in every case. (b) Emergency power backup is one component that an operation may have available as part of a system for reducing exposure to hazards, and indeed many mining operations have such emergency power backup systems. However, such backup is not mandatory and other controls may be determined to be more appropriate in particular circumstances, for example, the initiation of warning alarms and the evacuation of personnel to a place of safety.
(4) What steps has the Department of Minerals and Energy taken to - (a) ensure that all mineral processing plant work places have installed gas extraction equipment; and (b) ensure that all extraction equipment has dedicated emergency power backup? Answered on 11 October 2000 The Minister Replied: (1) Over the period from January 1995 to date the number of people injured in Western Australian mineral processing plants as a result of accidental gas releases has been a total of 71 persons in 27 reported incidents. The breakdown of this total by year is: 1995 7 people 1996 4 people 1997 4 people 1998 35 people ? of which 28 were involved in one single event where extraction equipment would not have proven effective. 1999 8 people 2000 13 people (2) There have been no fatalities as a result of accidental gas releases in mineral processing plants in Western Australia during the five year period. (3) Gas extraction equipment was in place in 5 of the incidents reported. (4)(a) The Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 contains a number of regulations that deal with the identification and control of atmospheric hazards. Periodic checks are made by inspectors to ascertain compliance with all regulations. Gas extraction systems are only one of a number of control systems identified in the regulations and are not mandatory in every case. I am also advised that neither would they necessarily prove effective in every case. (b) Emergency power backup is one component that an operation may have available as part of a system for reducing exposure to hazards, and indeed many mining operations have such emergency power backup systems. However, such backup is not mandatory and other controls may be determined to be more appropriate in particular circumstances, for example, the initiation of warning alarms and the evacuation of personnel to a place of safety.
(b) ensure that all extraction equipment has dedicated emergency power backup?
(2) How many people have died through accidental gas releases in the work place? (3) In how many of these accidents was gas extraction equipment in place? (4) What steps has the Department of Minerals and Energy taken to - (a) ensure that all mineral processing plant work places have installed gas extraction equipment; and (b) ensure that all extraction equipment has dedicated emergency power backup? Answered on 11 October 2000 The Minister Replied: (1) Over the period from January 1995 to date the number of people injured in Western Australian mineral processing plants as a result of accidental gas releases has been a total of 71 persons in 27 reported incidents. The breakdown of this total by year is: 1995 7 people 1996 4 people 1997 4 people 1998 35 people ? of which 28 were involved in one single event where extraction equipment would not have proven effective. 1999 8 people 2000 13 people (2) There have been no fatalities as a result of accidental gas releases in mineral processing plants in Western Australia during the five year period. (3) Gas extraction equipment was in place in 5 of the incidents reported. (4)(a) The Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 contains a number of regulations that deal with the identification and control of atmospheric hazards. Periodic checks are made by inspectors to ascertain compliance with all regulations. Gas extraction systems are only one of a number of control systems identified in the regulations and are not mandatory in every case. I am also advised that neither would they necessarily prove effective in every case. (b) Emergency power backup is one component that an operation may have available as part of a system for reducing exposure to hazards, and indeed many mining operations have such emergency power backup systems. However, such backup is not mandatory and other controls may be determined to be more appropriate in particular circumstances, for example, the initiation of warning alarms and the evacuation of personnel to a place of safety.
(3) In how many of these accidents was gas extraction equipment in place? (4) What steps has the Department of Minerals and Energy taken to - (a) ensure that all mineral processing plant work places have installed gas extraction equipment; and (b) ensure that all extraction equipment has dedicated emergency power backup? Answered on 11 October 2000 The Minister Replied: (1) Over the period from January 1995 to date the number of people injured in Western Australian mineral processing plants as a result of accidental gas releases has been a total of 71 persons in 27 reported incidents. The breakdown of this total by year is: 1995 7 people 1996 4 people 1997 4 people 1998 35 people ? of which 28 were involved in one single event where extraction equipment would not have proven effective. 1999 8 people 2000 13 people (2) There have been no fatalities as a result of accidental gas releases in mineral processing plants in Western Australia during the five year period. (3) Gas extraction equipment was in place in 5 of the incidents reported. (4)(a) The Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 contains a number of regulations that deal with the identification and control of atmospheric hazards. Periodic checks are made by inspectors to ascertain compliance with all regulations. Gas extraction systems are only one of a number of control systems identified in the regulations and are not mandatory in every case. I am also advised that neither would they necessarily prove effective in every case. (b) Emergency power backup is one component that an operation may have available as part of a system for reducing exposure to hazards, and indeed many mining operations have such emergency power backup systems. However, such backup is not mandatory and other controls may be determined to be more appropriate in particular circumstances, for example, the initiation of warning alarms and the evacuation of personnel to a place of safety.
(4) What steps has the Department of Minerals and Energy taken to - (a) ensure that all mineral processing plant work places have installed gas extraction equipment; and (b) ensure that all extraction equipment has dedicated emergency power backup? Answered on 11 October 2000 The Minister Replied: (1) Over the period from January 1995 to date the number of people injured in Western Australian mineral processing plants as a result of accidental gas releases has been a total of 71 persons in 27 reported incidents. The breakdown of this total by year is: 1995 7 people 1996 4 people 1997 4 people 1998 35 people ? of which 28 were involved in one single event where extraction equipment would not have proven effective. 1999 8 people 2000 13 people (2) There have been no fatalities as a result of accidental gas releases in mineral processing plants in Western Australia during the five year period. (3) Gas extraction equipment was in place in 5 of the incidents reported. (4)(a) The Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 contains a number of regulations that deal with the identification and control of atmospheric hazards. Periodic checks are made by inspectors to ascertain compliance with all regulations. Gas extraction systems are only one of a number of control systems identified in the regulations and are not mandatory in every case. I am also advised that neither would they necessarily prove effective in every case. (b) Emergency power backup is one component that an operation may have available as part of a system for reducing exposure to hazards, and indeed many mining operations have such emergency power backup systems. However, such backup is not mandatory and other controls may be determined to be more appropriate in particular circumstances, for example, the initiation of warning alarms and the evacuation of personnel to a place of safety.
(b) ensure that all extraction equipment has dedicated emergency power backup?
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.