THE terms of an independent review of BHP Billiton Iron Ore health and safety practices will be in place by the end of this week or early next week, according to the State Government.
THE terms of an independent review of BHP Billiton Iron Ore health and safety practices will be in place by the end of this week or early next week, according to the State Government.
BHPB and the Government agreed to the extraordinary review following a series of accidents at the company’s Pilbara iron ore operations during the past three weeks.
Three people were killed and three were injured.
The first accident, on May 2, occurred at BHP’s Nelson Point operations in Port Hedland and resulted in the death of 26-year-old Cory Bentley.
Then, on Wednesday last week, an explosion at BHPB’s HBI plant killed one worker and injured four others.
Two of the injured workers remain in a critical condition at Royal Perth’s Intensive Care Unit, while a third man has been upgraded to a satisfactory condition and is being held in RPH’s burns unit. The fourth worker was treated on site
A third man, 20-year-old Ross McKinnon, died on Friday last week following a separate accident at BHPB’s Ore Body 25 mine near Newman.
State Development Minister Clive Brown and BHPB Iron Ore president Graeme Hunt travelled to Port Hedland earlier this week to meet with community leaders, local workers and union leaders.
A spokesman for Mr Brown said the feedback would be used to define the review’s terms of reference.
The series of accidents has not only put safety at BHPB Iron Ore under the spotlight, but also raised questions as to the future of its troubled Boodarie hot briquetted iron plant (HBI).
While the plant’s viability has been called into question a number of times due to operational problems, on a recent trip to WA BHP’s Chip Goodyear said the plant’s viability had improved
A spokesman for BHPB said production at the HBI plant had ceased, but a decision would not be made to reopen the plant until the company was convinced the safety risk had been mitigated.
But any discussions regarding the plant’s future are completely separate from this process, the spokesman said.
Operations at Orebody 25 had been suspended, however the mine was operating again.
BHPB will hold separate internal inquiries into the accidents using the international company’s best available resources the spokesman said.
He reiterated that the company’s prime concern at this stage was care and support for the injured workers, their families and the entire workforce.
The Mines Inspectorate at the Department of Industry and Resources will hold its own separate inquiries into each incident.
The overall review of BHP Billiton Iron Ore health and safety will consider the findings of all existing enquires into the recent accidents and will also provide a forum to discuss broader occupational health and safety issues.
