Wednesday, April 4

Miners face high risk of injury

QUEENSLAND miners are being sprayed with acid, gassed, bitten by venomous snakes and even being struck by lightning while on the job.

But even those risks pale in comparison to the looming threat of a catastrophic explosion that could wipe out an operation.

In the past month, two incidents - one involving gas catching fire - reminded CFMEU's district vice-president Stephen Smyth of the deadly risks to workers.

Mr Smyth pointed to workers being repeatedly "gassed" at the Theiss mine in Collinsville, about 160km south-west of Airlie Beach.

Parts of the operation have ground to a halt while improvements are being made.

Mr Smyth said a small blaze at Oaky Creek mine could have created a horror on the same scale as New Zealand's Pike River tragedy that killed 29.


Warwick Daily News

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