Ballarat miners demand bosses are charged with manslaughter after worker dies in ‘avoidable’ tragic accident 3km underground
Union bosses have called for manslaughter charges to be brought against the owners of a mine after a man lost his life in an ‘avoidable’ rockfall.
The body of the 37-year-old man from Bruthen was recovered from the Ballarat gold mine on Woolshed Gully Drive in the Goldfield region of Victoria at 5.20am on Thursday.
Up to 31 miners were trapped 500 meters underground after a rock fall at 4.50pm on Wednesday while workers were air-emptying, a type of manual mining.
Two workers were pinned by rocks, one lost his life and a 21-year-old man was rushed to hospital with life-threatening lower body injuries.
Australian Workers Union Victorian branch secretary Ronnie Hayden has called for Victoria’s workplace manslaughter laws to be ‘enforced’ in lieu of death.
‘We are going to push very hard to ensure that the industrial manslaughter laws are enforced. Since the laws were introduced, 169 Victorians have been killed at work, this year 12 Victorians have been killed at work,” he said. told the media on Thursday.
“In the time since these laws have been in place, we have had one prosecution and no jail time. This is not acceptable. There is no point in creating laws to protect workers if we don’t use those laws. Our members are angry.”
Australian Workers Union Victorian branch secretary Ronnie Hayden has called for Victoria’s workplace death laws to be ‘taken into effect’ in lieu of the 37-year-old man’s death
A police car is seen outside the gates of the Ballarat gold mine on Wednesday
Mr Hayden said the miner’s death had been “avoidable” and air-laying had only been reintroduced to the Ballarat mine earlier this year.
The method, which involves two miners using a handheld drill, has been dropped by mines in recent years due to safety concerns.
“This form of air-laying should not be used to do this type of work, this form of air-laying should be used, if ever used, to survey the area,” he said.
“The information we’re getting back is that this was a quick, cheap and easy way to hunt for gold. Our members at this mine have raised concerns over the years… about working on unsupported land.
“Our members have raised concerns about this style of mining and it seems to be falling on deaf ears.”
Mr Hayden also claimed a senior safety manager at the Ballarat mine was never replaced after being fired by new owners.
“Personally, I would say this is management’s fault,” he said.
“We will ensure that investigators speak to all our members and our organizers to get to the bottom of what happened.
“I would also like to point out that when this new company took over, they fired their senior safety manager and did not replace them.”
Mr Hayden (pictured) told media on Thursday that the miner’s death had been ‘avoidable’
A ‘complex’ rescue mission was launched at around 4.50pm on Wednesday to retrieve 31 miners trapped about 500 meters underground.
Media can be seen outside the mine entrance, which is not open to the public
Victory Minerals operates the Ballarat Gold Mine, which is not open to the public and consists of tunnels and shafts extending beneath homes in Mount Clear.
“It was with great sadness that we confirm the passing of one of our own,” said Victory Minerals partner Rebecca Harrison.
“Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with his family and all our people at this time. Our absolute priority is to support the well-being of our team members and their families and loved ones as we all cope with this tragic news.”
More than thirty emergency workers were sent to the mine overnight as specialist extraction teams worked to rescue the trapped miner.
The network of mine shafts that make up the Ballarat Gold Mine has been operational since the 1850s, with some of the original shafts still in use.
A collapse at the site on November 12, 2007 trapped 27 miners about a kilometer underground. All miners were recovered safely after being hoisted to the surface through a ventilation shaft at around 8am.