A registered nurse who was employed as a labourer on a BHP mine has described the working conditions on site as “disgusting” and “inhumane”.
ABC News reports Jeremy Clarke has filed a formal complaint with the WA Department of Mines and Petroleum after working as a contract labourer at BHP Billiton's Marradong bauxite mine.
Clarke said he was shocked by the working conditions at the mine, and claims he was bullied by his supervisor and ordered off site after asking for water and a hat.
“The conditions out there are inhumane, absolutely inhumane, the conditions that we're working under,” he said.
“I'm absolutely astounded that we can still allow people to work in those conditions, it's like come on guys wake up to yourselves.”
ABC News reports the Department of Mines sent a safety officer for an inspection after receiving the complaint, and the officer found some health and hygiene problems that needed to be fixed.
The mine has been issued with an improvement notice, and BHP says while it has received the notice it has not yet formally responded.
BHP said it had launched its own investigation into conditions at Marradong, and claims Clarke's complaints are unfounded.