❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Mines and Petroleum regarding ventilation issues at the Norseman Gold Company's Bullen Mine, specifically concerning the St Pats decline and Norseman incline, and potential breaches of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act.
AnsweredQoN 2711Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Norseman Gold Company and the Bullen, Okay and Harlequin Operations, with senior management from Barry Cahill and Corey Doust, and ask -
(1) Is it correct that, for quite some time, the raise bore and the primary ventilation fans that service the St Pats decline and the Norseman incline in the Bullen Mine, have not been able to support the required air flow within that section of the mine, to meet the requirements of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995,
in relation to both primary and secondary ventilation flow, and that as a result employees health in that mine has been suffering substantially?
(2) If no to (1), what specifically is correct concerning this matter?
(3) Is it correct that the raise bore in the St Pats decline and the Norseman incline of the Bullen mine, quickly builds up with salt inside the raise bore itself, effectively further reducing ventilation flow within the mine?
(4) If no to (3), what then is correct concerning this matter?
(5) Is it correct that to combat the problem referred to in (3), that the raise bore in the St Pats decline and the Norseman incline of the Bullen Mine, needs to be regularly evacuated whilst the primary ventilation fans are turned off, and the salt build up that restricts the ventilation flow is removed?
(6) If no to (5), what then is correct concerning this matter?
(7) If yes to (5), can the Minister state when was the last time a Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) inspector, physically inspected the raise bore in the St Pats decline and the Norseman incline of the Bullen Mine, to ensure that this salt build up is being regularly checked upon and removed where necessary by the management of the Bullen Mine, to ensure the occupational health of all employees working in that mine?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) In relation to (5) and (7), have any sections of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995, -
(a) been breached;
(b) which sections were breached; and
(c) what is the maximum penalty for each breach?
(10) Will the resident manager, or any other responsible person at Norseman Gold, be prosecuted for any of these breaches referred to in (9)?
(11) If no to (10), why not?
(1) Is it correct that, for quite some time, the raise bore and the primary ventilation fans that service the St Pats decline and the Norseman incline in the Bullen Mine, have not been able to support the required air flow within that section of the mine, to meet the requirements of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995,
in relation to both primary and secondary ventilation flow, and that as a result employees health in that mine has been suffering substantially?
(2) If no to (1), what specifically is correct concerning this matter?
(3) Is it correct that the raise bore in the St Pats decline and the Norseman incline of the Bullen mine, quickly builds up with salt inside the raise bore itself, effectively further reducing ventilation flow within the mine?
(4) If no to (3), what then is correct concerning this matter?
(5) Is it correct that to combat the problem referred to in (3), that the raise bore in the St Pats decline and the Norseman incline of the Bullen Mine, needs to be regularly evacuated whilst the primary ventilation fans are turned off, and the salt build up that restricts the ventilation flow is removed?
(6) If no to (5), what then is correct concerning this matter?
(7) If yes to (5), can the Minister state when was the last time a Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) inspector, physically inspected the raise bore in the St Pats decline and the Norseman incline of the Bullen Mine, to ensure that this salt build up is being regularly checked upon and removed where necessary by the management of the Bullen Mine, to ensure the occupational health of all employees working in that mine?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) In relation to (5) and (7), have any sections of the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995, -
(a) been breached;
(b) which sections were breached; and
(c) what is the maximum penalty for each breach?
(10) Will the resident manager, or any other responsible person at Norseman Gold, be prosecuted for any of these breaches referred to in (9)?
(11) If no to (10), 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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