Home

Tas mining deaths 'entirely avoidable'

Ethan JamesAAP
A coroner says mining at Mt Lyell had come at a human cost, including 42 deaths in 1912.
Camera IconA coroner says mining at Mt Lyell had come at a human cost, including 42 deaths in 1912. Credit: AAP

An "almost perfect storm" of poor safety practices and poor equipment were to blame for the deaths of two miners on Tasmania's west coast eight years ago, a coroner has ruled.

Alistair Lucas and Craig Gleeson fell more than 20 metres down a shaft some 700 metres underground at Mount Lyell copper mine in Queenstown in December 2013.

They were undertaking routine maintenance as part of a three-man team when heavy machinery fell and broke the temporary timber platform on which they were standing.

Two colleagues abseiled to the bottom of the shaft where they found the body of Mr Gleeson, 45, a father of three and local resident.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

Mr Lucas, 25, who also hailed from Queenstown, was brought to the surface in a critical condition but died on the way to hospital.

In findings published on Friday, coroner Simon Cooper determined their deaths "were entirely avoidable had basic safety principles been adhered to".

The wooden platform was not properly engineered, the pair weren't wearing appropriate safety harnesses or fall prevention devices, and a "skip bin" that could have been used to block the shaft was not in place.

"An almost perfect storm of poor safety practices and poor equipment directly led to the deaths of Mr Gleeson and Mr Lucas," Mr Cooper wrote.

The platform was made from King Billy pine, a soft wood not considered a structural timber because of its relatively low strength.

Mr Cooper said evidence at the inquest pointed to the timber not being compliant with the applicable Australian standard.

The platform was "completely insecure" and was not fixed to anything but merely rested on the edges of the top of the shaft.

"I am quite satisfied it was wholly inadequate as a base ... to work over a 25 metre deep shaft," Mr Cooper wrote.

Mr Cooper said it was impossible to determine why Mr Gleeson's safety harness was not tethered and why Mr Lucas had left his harness and lanyard in his locker.

He praised the efforts of Lachlan Brown and Robert Butterfield, who displayed a "considerable amount of personal courage" to abseil down the shaft.

Mr Cooper made several recommendations, including for the use of properly designed work platforms, but noted much has changed at the mine in the years since.

He also called for a formalised audit of risk management tools by mine management after examining the death of Michael "Digger" Welsh who died just six weeks later at Mount Lyell in a mud rush.

Mr Welsh was removing broken rock using a loader when it was completely engulfed by mud.

Mr Cooper said he was satisfied there was "practical and effective adherence" to mine management plans in the lead up to Mr Welsh's death.

The emergency response to the mud rush was timely and "nothing more could have been done ... after the incident occurred", he noted.

Mr Cooper said the three deaths have had a profound effect on the tight-knit Queenstown community.

"Unlike many mine workers both on Tasmania's west coast and throughout many areas of regional Australia, Mr Gleeson, Mr Lucas and Mr Welsh all lived locally," he wrote.

"They were very much part of that proud and resilient community.

"Their deaths robbed the community of three important members. Many people lost a friend, teammate or co-worker."

The mine was put into care and maintenance mode after Mr Welsh's death.

Operator Copper Mines of Tasmania says all lessons from the coroner's report will be implemented before a proposed restart of the mine.

"We hope that the findings provide some solace for the families and friends of our former workmates," project manager Clint Mayes said.

Mr Cooper said while mining has contributed great wealth to Tasmania, it had a human cost with multiple fatal accidents over the years including an underground fire in 1912 that killed 42 men.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails