Underground mining contractor fined $540,000 after fatal rock fall at Kambalda mine
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An underground mining contractor has been fined $540,000 after a rock fall at the Hamlet Underground Gold Mine near Kambalda killed a driller and injured a probationary offsider.
RUC Mining Contractors Pty Ltd pleaded guilty in the Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court to two counts of exposing a worker to the risk of death or serious injury, in breach of the Work Health and Safety Act 2020. The company was also ordered to pay $8,414 in costs.
The charges relate to an incident in October 2022 at the Hamlet mine, part of Gold Fields’ St Ives Gold Mine operation, where RUC was contracted to undertake raise bore-drilling. Although the offences do not indicate the breach caused the death, the court found failures in risk management. Magistrate William Yoo imposed a single penalty of $540,000 for the two counts.
Fatal rock fall
The incident occurred while a driller and probationary offsider were disassembling a raise bore reamer at the base of a ventilation shaft. The method in use required pulling the reamer to one side of the shaft and working beneath supported ground, shielded by rubber conveyor belt curtains.
At the time, staff were having difficulty positioning the protective curtains because the reamer was not centred. A torque plate installation had been booked to rectify the problem, but work continued in the meantime.
The mine’s area manager inspected the site that day and noted the curtains were not properly installed. He instructed the driller to step off the reamer, warning they were working too close to unsupported ground. Around an hour later, a rock fall struck the driller, killing him instantly. The offsider, standing nearby, sustained minor physical injuries and ongoing psychological trauma.
Regulator’s warning
WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North said the case highlighted the inherent risks in raise-boring activities.
“This tragic incident is a reminder that raise-boring activities can involve serious hazards, not only from rock falls but also from equipment failure, ground failure and the inrush of mud, drill cuttings, water or gas,” Ms North said.
She urged mine operators and contractors to ensure safe systems of work are in place, that risks are eliminated or minimised, and that workers are consulted on procedures, equipment and training.
Guidance on reducing risks in raise-boring activities is available on WorkSafe’s website.