MINES and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore has announced that the State Government has taken the unprecedented step of ordering stop work notices for any breach of workplace conditions related to BHP Billiton sites until the problem is fixed.
The announcement follows high-level talks with BHP Billiton executives to discuss the recent spate of deaths at the company’s worksites.
Moore says there have been five fatalities this financial year at sites operated by BHP Billiton, and the State Government will not stand by and let this state of affairs continue.
Mines Inspectors will now issue prohibition notices to BHP under the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 - basically a stop work notice - for any breach of work practices or work place conditions that may constitute a hazard to workers.
Until now Mines Inspectors have generally issued improvement notices for breaches of worksite conditions - orders that allowed work to continue while problems were addressed.
The Minister said the new policy was a result of State Mining Engineer Martin Knee taking the unprecedented step of using his discretionary powers under the Act.
Improvement notices will no longer be issued to BHP Billiton. If there is any breach, an immediate prohibition notice will prevent work from continuing at that particular worksite until the problem is resolved.
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