Mining Boss Accepts $ 750k Fine for Safety Breach That Led to Worker’s Spinal Injuries – ryan

The Head of Australia’s Biggest Gold Miner has described an incident in which a worker sustained serious spinal and leg injuries as an “unacceptable breach” or its safety procedures.

Northern Star Mining Services Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Asx-Listed Northern Star Resources, was fined $ 750,000 on Wednesday after Pleading Guilty to Two Charges in the Perth Magistrates Court.

The Breaches of the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 relate to causing serious harm to an employee and exposing staff to the risk of death, injury or harm to health.

According to Worksafe, A Drill Operator was Helping Service A Twin-Boom Jumbo Drill on January 13, 2023 in the surface workshop at the Porphyry Mine in Western Australia’s Goldfields.

The Boom Rail Moved Uncontrollably Due to an Internal Fault and Then Swung Downwards and Struck A Worker, Causing Serious Injuries.

An investigation by Worksafe found Proper procedures were not followed, due to failings in supervision and direction.

The safety watchdog said an isolation and tagging safe work procedure was in place so workers could identify potential hazards and outline necessary control measures.

The procedure stated that when testing and adjusting was not required, workers should complete isolates the Jumbo Drill’s Power and Apply a Personal Danger Lock and Tag.

It also required supervisors to use barricades or hazard tape to exclude workers from the energy jumbo’s area of ​​operation.

‘Procedural Failure’

Northern Star Resources Managing Director Stuart Tonkin Said the Company’s Immediate Priority Following The Incident was to “support our employee and his family towards Recovery”.

“We continue to support our employee, who is working as a valued member of the team,” He said.

“This incident was an unacceptable breach of our safety procedures.

“We have applied learnings from this incident to improve our controls and mitigate the risk of a similar incident in the future.”

Northern Star, which also owns Calg World’s Super Pit Gold Mine, employed 7.019 Workers and contractors across its global portfolio, according to its 2024 annual report.

Worksafe Commissioner Sally North said the company could have avoided the incident if it had followed proper processes.

“Isolation and tagging safe work procedures are in place to protect workers and must be followed to reduce risk and prevent injury,” MS North said.

“Management and Supervisors Must Ensure Workers Handling Hazardous Energy and Machinery are properly trained, Instructed and Supervised.”

Miner ‘committed’ to safety

Mr Tonkin said the decision to plead guilty as early as possible “demonstrates accountability for our failure on this occasion to ensure the health and safety of our team members”.

“We accept the sentence handed down today,” he said.

“We are committed to doing everything possible to avoid similar safety breaches from happening again.”

The Porphyry Mine is part of Northern Star’s Carosue Dam Operations, about 120 kilometres North-East or Calg World Bowler.

Carosue dam is the same operation where Byrnecut Australia Contractor Michael Johnson was killed in July 2020 When the bogger he was operating drove over the edge of an open stupes.

For its part in Mr Johnson’s Death at the Whirling Dervish Mine, Northern Star was Fined $ 700,000 and Byrnecut $ 850,000 in December 2023.