A seriously injured miner went unnoticed for three hours after falling off an elevated platform.
A seriously injured miner went unnoticed for three hours after falling off an elevated platform.
TheNSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has released a safety alert urging mines to update their maintenance systems after the miner, who was cleaning the screens of the metalliferous mine’s underground dewatering system alone, stumbled onto the platform guardrails and fell 2.5 m to the concrete floor below.
The worker sustained serious injuries including a fractured foot, broken femur, broken bone in one hand and a dislocated finger.
The NSW DPI safety alert recommended preventative maintenance be conducted and appropriate procedures developed and implemented for persons working alone.
Rob Regan
Director
Mine Safety Operations Branch
NSW Department Primary Industries
mine.safetyalert@dpi.nsw.gov.au