Foreman defends action
THE mine foreman who sent Michael Welsh to inspect an area of Copper Mines of Tasmania’s Mt Lyell mine shortly before it was inundated by mud, killing Mr Welsh, has told an inquest he stands by his decision.
Mine foreman Anthony Clark told the inquest into Mr Welsh’s death on January 17, 2014, he decided to send supervisor David Woolley and Mr Welsh, 53, a machinery operator, to inspect a part of the mine that had its safety rating increased after the January 16 night shift crew raised concerns.
Mr Clark said when he started his shift on January 17, the night shift boss, Leigh Johnstone, spoke to him about problems his crew had noticed with a particular draw point — an area where ore is loaded — known as TD14.
He said the night shift crew was supposed to prepare that area for firing and when he inspected the area during the day on January 16, it was in good condition.
“I then got crabby with the shift supervisor because I knew the stope was in good condition,” Mr Clark said.
“I thought they may have tried to dodge the job.”
But Mr Clark said he agreed with Mr Johnstone to raise the safety rating of the area to “medium”, the second-highest rating in the mine’s four-level safety rating system.
“I had no issues with that. We put it to a medium and then we got it inspected.”
He said day shift supervisor Mr Woolley and Mr Welsh were chosen to inspect the area to see if its safety rating should remain at medium.
“They’re the two that had far better experience than anyone else,” Mr Clark said.
“They were happy to check it out.”
The inquest has heard when an area is rated at medium, access is limited and it is inspected by a supervisor.
The inquest previously heard the two men inspected the area and decided it was safe for Mr Welsh to remain and work in the area.
“Do you stand by the decision you made sending Mr Welsh and Mr Woolley ... to assess TD14?” counsel assisting the coroner Simon Nicholson asked. “Yes,” Mr Clark said. He agreed the conditions of a draw point might change “quite quickly” during a shift and he said there had been issues with getting TD14 and nearby TD13 online “for a while”.
Mr Nicholson asked Mr Clark if he had a conversation with Mr Johnstone during which he said, “I should have listened to you, Leigh”. Mr Clark said no. The lawyer for Barminco, the company that employed Mr Welsh, objected to the question, which was allowed, and made the comment, in relation to the question, that the “damage had been done”. From the back of the court, Mr Welsh’s son, Michael, said, “It has,” and left the courtroom.
The inquest, which is also examining the deaths of miners Craig Gleeson, 45, and Alistair Lucas, 25, who died at the mine six weeks before Mr Welsh, continues.