❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses radiation safety at BHP Billiton's Yeelirrie uranium mine site, focusing on worker monitoring and environmental controls. The Minister's response details the safety measures in place, including dosimetry and radon monitoring.
AnsweredQoN 1026Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
YEELIRRIE URANIUM MINE SITE — RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
I refer to the statutory radiation safety requirements for undertaking uranium exploration. (1) Are all workers at the BHP Billiton Ltd Yeelirrie site issued with radiation monitoring tags? (2) If no to (1), why not? (3) If yes to (1), is the wearing of these tags monitored and enforced by the site supervisor; and, if so, what is the compliance rate? (4) Are radon monitors in place at core drilling and core farm sites at the BHP Yeelirrie site? (5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE
I refer to the statutory radiation safety requirements for undertaking uranium exploration. (1) Are all workers at the BHP Billiton Ltd Yeelirrie site issued with radiation monitoring tags? (2) If no to (1), why not? (3) If yes to (1), is the wearing of these tags monitored and enforced by the site supervisor; and, if so, what is the compliance rate? (4) Are radon monitors in place at core drilling and core farm sites at the BHP Yeelirrie site? (5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(1) Are all workers at the BHP Billiton Ltd Yeelirrie site issued with radiation monitoring tags? (2) If no to (1), why not? (3) If yes to (1), is the wearing of these tags monitored and enforced by the site supervisor; and, if so, what is the compliance rate? (4) Are radon monitors in place at core drilling and core farm sites at the BHP Yeelirrie site? (5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(2) If no to (1), why not? (3) If yes to (1), is the wearing of these tags monitored and enforced by the site supervisor; and, if so, what is the compliance rate? (4) Are radon monitors in place at core drilling and core farm sites at the BHP Yeelirrie site? (5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(3) If yes to (1), is the wearing of these tags monitored and enforced by the site supervisor; and, if so, what is the compliance rate? (4) Are radon monitors in place at core drilling and core farm sites at the BHP Yeelirrie site? (5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(4) Are radon monitors in place at core drilling and core farm sites at the BHP Yeelirrie site? (5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(1) Are all workers at the BHP Billiton Ltd Yeelirrie site issued with radiation monitoring tags? (2) If no to (1), why not? (3) If yes to (1), is the wearing of these tags monitored and enforced by the site supervisor; and, if so, what is the compliance rate? (4) Are radon monitors in place at core drilling and core farm sites at the BHP Yeelirrie site? (5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(2) If no to (1), why not? (3) If yes to (1), is the wearing of these tags monitored and enforced by the site supervisor; and, if so, what is the compliance rate? (4) Are radon monitors in place at core drilling and core farm sites at the BHP Yeelirrie site? (5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(3) If yes to (1), is the wearing of these tags monitored and enforced by the site supervisor; and, if so, what is the compliance rate? (4) Are radon monitors in place at core drilling and core farm sites at the BHP Yeelirrie site? (5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(4) Are radon monitors in place at core drilling and core farm sites at the BHP Yeelirrie site? (5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(5) If no to (4), why not? (6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(6) Are radiation dose counts for workers at Yeelirrie recorded; and, if so, is this data kept and who holds it? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(1) Workers with the highest potential exposures during the exploration phase are those directly involved in drilling the mineralised zone. BHP Billiton has advised the department that thermoluminescent dosimeters—TLD badges—are issued to all personnel who spend more than one-quarter of their work time within the mineralised area. In addition, at least one representative member of each work group not in this monitoring program will be assigned a TLD. (2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(2) Badges are issued based on risk assessment. (3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(3) Not applicable. (4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(4) Radon monitors are in place in the work area and also in the ambient area over the mineralised zone. (5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(5) Not applicable. (6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(6) Radiation dose records are stored in a database and the information will be kept by the company for at least 30 years. On completion of the exploration phase, a report that includes exposure measurements is required to be submitted to the resources safety division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
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