BHP Billiton Olympic Dam Corporation has been fined $76,000 for a fatality during a routine smelter shutdown at the Olympic Dam plant.
The company pleaded guilty to Section 19(1) of the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act 1986, and was fined for failing to ensure, so far is reasonably practicable, that its employee was safe from injury and risks to health while at work.
Scott Rigg, a Refractory Co-ordinator at the Olympic Dam site, was fatally injured during a routine smelter shutdown at the plant on 12 December 2007.
He was involved in the clean-up process following the inspection and repair of the brick lining of a humidifier.
As part of a separate maintenance task during the shutdown, riggers were required to work overhead to remove water spray cooling nozzles which were located in the roof of the humidifier.
One of the nozzle’s top section became caught in an overhead beam, and the pressure being placed on the unit caused part of it to break and fall into the humidifier.
Rigg was killed when the part of the water spray cooling nozzle fell 14m and struck him.
The company did have a comprehensive system relating to workplace safety in place at the time of the incident, but it was not adhered to.
Measures undertaken since the incident mean a similar incident is unlikely to happen again in the workplace.
SafeWork SA said the case is a sobering example of the hazards that can be encountered in the mining industry, and when a change in procedure is not effectively communicated.
Add a comment