Talk about embarrassing – a crane has toppled over in front of a government safety inspector at Gina Rinehart’s Roy Hill mine construction site in the Pilbara of Western Australia.
The incident happened yesterday when the inspector from WA’s Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) was checking the site following earlier reports of unsafe operations of cranes and elevated work platforms.
Last week two prohibition safety notices were issued to Roy Hill over these safety concerns.
Crane contractors, Samsung C&T along with their subcontractors, including Leighton Construction, NRW and Kerman have been suspended by Roy Hill who have launched an investigation into the incident.
In a statement Roy Hill chief executive Barry Fitzgerald said Roy Hill took the issue very seriously.
“Roy Hill recognises there have been serious issues in regards to safe lifting and crane operations being undertaken by head contractor, Samsung C&T and Leighton Construction at the mine processing plant construction site,”
“The incidents that have occurred are not acceptable; and we continue to cooperate fully with the DMP to ensure lifting operations can be undertaken safely and without incident.”
“We have suspended all crane activities including verification and assessment pending an investigation into this incident to understand the root cause.”
The $10 billion Roy Hill Project is a 55 million tonne per annum (Mtpa) iron ore mining, rail and port project being built approximately 115 kilometres north of Newman in the Pilbara of Western Australia.
Mine operators expect to load first shipment of ore for export in late 2015.
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