Last week, a miner, Kurt Hourigan, died in a rockfall in a gold mine in the rural city of Ballarat. Another was rescued, and over twenty work colleagues were able to access a safety pod and exit the mine later. Accusations of mismanagement and deficient occupational health and safety (OHS) practices are rife. The media …
Safety in mines in Tasmania has received great attention in the aftermath of Larry Knight’s death at Beaconsfield gold mine. On 13 December 2009, the Tasmanian Workplace Relations Minister, Lisa Singh released a regulatory impact statement and information paper on proposed amendments to the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995. This legislative package, according to … Continue reading “Tasmanian mine safety review”
There have been several media reports of the disappointment in the findings felt by Larry Knight’s family but little else in the media, particularly over the weekend when some retrospection could have been expected. However, the Tasmanian workplace relations minister, Lisa Singh, issued a statement last week. The most significant parts of the statement are … Continue reading “Beaconsfield Coroners report update”
Several readers have asked for information about what is happening at the Tasmanian coronial inquest into the death of Larry Knight at Beaconsfield Mine in 2006. Since the return of Beaconsfield’s legal team, media reporting has been fairly quiet as expert opinions and risk consultant reports are argued over. There is considerable effort being expended … Continue reading “Beaconsfield inquiry seems quiet but there’s conspiracy fodder”
The legal team representing the Beaconsfield mine at the inquest into the death of Larry Knight have returned early – much to the annoyance of the Coroner, Rod Chandler. The team headed up by David Neal SC returned to the Launceston inquest on 28 August 2008 according to The Australian newspaper. It’s an extraordinary development due to the circumstances of their withdrawal … Continue reading “Legal games at the Beaconsfield inquest”
I have spoken elsewhere of the non-release of Professor Michael Quinlan’s OHS report into the Beaconsfield mine. On 4 August 2008, he spoke at the coronial inquest into the death of Larry Knight. According to media reports, Professor Quinlan said about the rockfall that killed Larry Knight: “I can’t say the event wouldn’t have occurred – I can … Continue reading “Professor Michael Quinlan, Beaconsfield and Safety Cases”
On 24 July 2008 the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced that it has fined the operator of the Crandall Canyon Mine in Emery County, Utah, $1,340,000 for violations that directly contributed to the deaths of six miners in 2007. According to MSHA’s media release, Agapito Associates Inc., a mining … Continue reading “Crandall Canyon Mine Investigation Report”
