Safety breach shuts Norwich Park

Peter Holt

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THE Queensland Mines Inspectorate has forced BMA's Norwich Park mine to shut down after its failure to report an incident in which a dozer was driven into a pit of water.

It is believed the operator driving the dozer had to swim from his cab to shore, where he later resigned from his position and walked off the mine site, late Sunday afternoon.

A Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) mines and energy spokesperson said the Queensland Government Mines Inspectorate promptly closed the mine site yesterday, following the incident.

“The Queensland Government Mines inspector has temporarily suspended operations at the BMA Norwich Park open cut coal mine near Dysart in Central Queensland, the spokesperson said.

“The inspector issued a directive suspending operations yesterday (Monday) after becoming aware of a vehicle incident at the mine on November 27, which should have been immediately reported by mine management as a ‘high potential incident' as defined by the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999.”

The spokesperson said the incident was under investigation by the Queensland Mines Inspectorate.

“Operations at Norwich Park will remain suspended until the district inspector is satisfied the mine's Safety and Health Management System is effective and mine management demonstrate they have a reporting system in place that enables incident reporting as required by the legislation.”

Yesterday afternoon, a spokesperson for BMA confirmed the incident at the mine site.

“BMA confirms that a safety incident involving one bogged vehicle has occurred at its Norwich Park mine,” the BMA spokesperson said.

“Nobody was injured as a result of the incident; however, the mine site has been shut down while the Queensland Mines and Energy inspector conducts an investigation.

“BMA is co-operating fully with the investigation and employees of the mine will return to work when a decision is made by the inspector,” the spokesperson said.