Alcoa of Australia was recently fined $210,000 plus $75,000 in costs over the death of a contractor at the Kwinana Alumina Refinery in 2015.
The worker was removing scaffolding inside processing vessels when he entered via a manhole one of the vessels that had its scaffold work platform removed. Without guards, barriers or a manhole to prevent access, nor clear markings, the worker fell 12 metres inside the vessel and was fatally injured.
According to the WA Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety mines safety director Andrew Chaplyn, falls from heights remains a significant risk on mine sites.
“Mine operators must conduct detailed risk assessments of areas where workers could be exposed to fall hazards and they must take preventative measures,” he said.
“Control measures remove or reduce the risk of injury or harm and include a series of steps ranging from the elimination, substitution and/or isolation of risks through to engineering and administrative controls,” said Chaplyn.
“Employers and workers should always ensure safe work procedures are available, followed and enforced.”