Minister quits as lax safety rules blamed for mine blast
Source: Agencies |
November 6, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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NEW Zealand's worst mining disaster in nearly a century that killed 29 people in 2010 happened because the operator neglected safety and put workers at risk, a commission said yesterday. The labor minister resigned in response to the findings.
In a scathing report on the blast at the Pike River Coal Mine, a Royal Commission said the government should not have let the mine operate until the risks had been assessed.
"In the drive towards coal production the directors and executive managers paid insufficient attention to health and safety and exposed the company's workers to unacceptable risks," the commission said.
It said the mine on the rugged west coast of New Zealand's South Island ignored numerous warnings of dangerously high methane levels. Its ventilation and drainage systems were not up to the job.
The explosion was triggered by methane, which is found naturally in coal. Methane becomes explosive when it makes up 5 percent to 15 percent of the volume of air.
"Its health and safety systems were inadequate. The mine was riddled with deficiencies," Prime Minister John Key said. "It's possible that it could have been preventable."
He said the government "takes its share of the responsibility" and that's why Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson had resigned.
In announcing her resignation, Wilkinson said the disaster had happened "on her watch."
The commission said the mine had been struggling financially and was borrowing to keep operations afloat after it had overestimated coal output. It had cut corners on safety.
The Department of Labour assumed that mine was complying with the law despite evidence to the contrary, the commission said. "The department should have prohibited Pike from operating the mine until its health and safety systems were adequate."
The commission said some equipment at the mine was not flame proof and smoking material and battery-powered devices had been present in the mine despite being prohibited.
In a scathing report on the blast at the Pike River Coal Mine, a Royal Commission said the government should not have let the mine operate until the risks had been assessed.
"In the drive towards coal production the directors and executive managers paid insufficient attention to health and safety and exposed the company's workers to unacceptable risks," the commission said.
It said the mine on the rugged west coast of New Zealand's South Island ignored numerous warnings of dangerously high methane levels. Its ventilation and drainage systems were not up to the job.
The explosion was triggered by methane, which is found naturally in coal. Methane becomes explosive when it makes up 5 percent to 15 percent of the volume of air.
"Its health and safety systems were inadequate. The mine was riddled with deficiencies," Prime Minister John Key said. "It's possible that it could have been preventable."
He said the government "takes its share of the responsibility" and that's why Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson had resigned.
In announcing her resignation, Wilkinson said the disaster had happened "on her watch."
The commission said the mine had been struggling financially and was borrowing to keep operations afloat after it had overestimated coal output. It had cut corners on safety.
The Department of Labour assumed that mine was complying with the law despite evidence to the contrary, the commission said. "The department should have prohibited Pike from operating the mine until its health and safety systems were adequate."
The commission said some equipment at the mine was not flame proof and smoking material and battery-powered devices had been present in the mine despite being prohibited.
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