Minister to meet BHP Billiton to discuss mine fatalities

Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore will meet with BHP Billiton management this afternoon to express his concerns regarding a spate of fatalities at mine sites operated by the company.

"There have been five fatalities this financial year, all at sites operated by BHP Billiton, and this is simply not acceptable," Mr Moore said.

"I will call on the company to convince me that it is undertaking suitable steps to remedy this situation.  Even one fatality is one too many, but this is becoming of great concern.

"I am fully supportive of the requisition issued late last year by the State Mining Engineer under the Mines Safety and Inspection Act requiring independent engineering studies to be carried out, together with an across the board examination of the safety management systems, at every one of BHP Billiton's Pilbara iron ore mine sites."

This independent report must be provided by April 30, 2009.

The Minister said safety in the mining industry was the number one priority.

"Because safety is so important, the State Government safety regulator, Resources Safety, has been moved into the new dedicated Department of Mines and Petroleum," he said.

"I am determined that our industry leads the world in safe practices.  Safety cannot and will not be allowed to be compromised as a result of the global financial crisis.

"In the current climate of increased economic pressures, everyone has a responsibility to ensure that safety performance does not slip."

Mr Moore said the State Government's objective was to ensure Western Australia had a well resourced, world-class specialist regulator overseeing safety and health in the resources sector.

The most recent fatality involved a scaffolder who was killed on Thursday at the company's iron ore Newman hub site.

Last month, a rail track maintenance worker was killed by a train at the Mt Newman railway.  In August and September last year there were two fatalities at the BHP Billiton's Yandi Mine, following another fatality in July at the company's Nelson Point Operations in Port Hedland.