The mining company pleaded guilty to a workplace safety charge over two workplace fatalities that occurred in 2013
Copper Mines of Tasmania (CMT) has pleaded guilty in the Burnie Magistrates Court to a workplace safety charge over two deaths that occurred in December 2013, according to a report by ABC News.
The two workers, Craig Nigel Gleeson and Alistair Michael Lucas, died after falling 22 metres from a mine shaft platform at Mt Lyell. The unfortunate incident occurred after a linkage assembly fell onto the platform, causing it to break away.
After an investigation by Worksafe Tasmania last year, the firm was charged with failing to provide a safe workplace.
General manager of care & maintenance at CMT, Peter Walker, said the company highly regretted the incident. The company had been in contact with the workers’ families to inform them of the plea, he said.
The case has now been adjourned for sentencing in November.
CMT is also going through court as the result of the death of a third worker, Michael Welsh, who died in a separate mud rush incident in January 2014 which has since suspended operations at the mine.
"CMT is continuing to offer support to the families and friends of three employees who died in two incidents at the mine in 2013 and 2014," Jared DeRoss, the firm’s Mt Lyell site manager, said in a previous statement to News Corp.
"Our thoughts always are firmly with the families of our lost workmates. We recognise that hearings of this nature are very difficult times for families and friends of the deceased and we want to support them as much as we can.”
CMT had also conducted a detailed structural safety audit of the shafts and hoisting system after the incident, DeRoss added.
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The two workers, Craig Nigel Gleeson and Alistair Michael Lucas, died after falling 22 metres from a mine shaft platform at Mt Lyell. The unfortunate incident occurred after a linkage assembly fell onto the platform, causing it to break away.
After an investigation by Worksafe Tasmania last year, the firm was charged with failing to provide a safe workplace.
General manager of care & maintenance at CMT, Peter Walker, said the company highly regretted the incident. The company had been in contact with the workers’ families to inform them of the plea, he said.
The case has now been adjourned for sentencing in November.
CMT is also going through court as the result of the death of a third worker, Michael Welsh, who died in a separate mud rush incident in January 2014 which has since suspended operations at the mine.
"CMT is continuing to offer support to the families and friends of three employees who died in two incidents at the mine in 2013 and 2014," Jared DeRoss, the firm’s Mt Lyell site manager, said in a previous statement to News Corp.
"Our thoughts always are firmly with the families of our lost workmates. We recognise that hearings of this nature are very difficult times for families and friends of the deceased and we want to support them as much as we can.”
CMT had also conducted a detailed structural safety audit of the shafts and hoisting system after the incident, DeRoss added.
Related stories:
Initial 2015 worker fatality figures released
Worker dies after 30 hours of work
The most dangerous jobs in the world
