TWO investigations are under way at BHP's Mount Arthur coal mine after a Caterpillar dump truck slid backwards over the side of a 20-metre drop on Monday night, trapping its operator for almost five hours.
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The incident took place at the Saddlers Creek or southern end of Mount Arthur open-cut, which is a few kilometres south of the Muswellbrook township.
BHP said the truck operator "sustained no physical injuries" during the ordeal and had been "supported and monitored since the incident".
The Newcastle Herald was told the ground gave way under the Caterpillar 793 truck - weighing more than 500 tonnes with a payload of up to 230 tonnes - after it reversed up to the earthen wall or "bund" marking the edge of the "tip-head" at an overburden dump. After initially slumping, the ground gave way further and the fully laden truck turned over onto its right-hand side and slid about six metres down the slope.
The driver was trapped until a rescue team could attach a long steel cable to two bulldozers to prevent the truck from rolling further down the slope to the next level, 20 metres below.
Past and present Mount Arthur employees told the Herald that the accident was the fault of mine management and the pressure put on digger operators and truck operators to meet unrealistic performance targets.
PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS: August 2019 'lucky escape not Mount Arthur's only truck trouble
BHP has disputed this - and an assertion that mining stopped at the area in question because of previous problems - but said it could not comment further because of the inquiries under way.
"A number of factors appear to be involved in the incident and we have notified the NSW Resources Regulator," a BHP spokesperson said yesterday. "It has launched its own investigation, as well as the one launched internally."
The NSW government's Resources Regulator said it had issued a notice to BHP prohibiting further use of the area where the incident occurred.
It confirmed the haul truck was "reversing into a dump corner when the edge of the dump appears to have collapsed" and the truck "ended up on a 45-degree angle over the edge of the dump".
"The worker was taken to an onsite first aid facility for medical assessment and it has been reported they suffered no significant injuries."
BHP confirmed that the area of the mine affected was being crewed by the company's Operations Services, a subsidiary described by its critics as "in-house contract mining".
Mount Arthur has been the focus of controversy over casual employment at NSW coal mines. BHP and its main labour hire contractor Chandler Macleod are defending a class action over alleged underpayment of casuals at the mine brought by class action law firm Adero.
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Ian Kirkwood
Reporting journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1987. Editorial writer, general reporter, industrial relations, industry and coal.
Reporting journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1987. Editorial writer, general reporter, industrial relations, industry and coal.
