One of the many Smorgan Steel Kwinana FiresJust who is protecting the community and workers? It certainly isn't our Government Authorities/Regulators.
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As reported in this weeks Sound Telegraph a worker was hospitalised after an industrial accident in at Onesteel (formerly Smorgan Steel) in Kwinana last Thursday.
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According to the Telegraph "FESA issued a statement ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY and said there were 2 explosions about 10:50 am". So why is FESA is now speaking on behalf of Industry?
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"The worker was believed to be in Royal Perth Hospital with burns to 40% of his body".
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This operation has a long poor history. This is an excerpt from a media release I wrote in June 2007 after yet another fire at the plant (There are many more examples):
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According to the Telegraph "FESA issued a statement ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY and said there were 2 explosions about 10:50 am". So why is FESA is now speaking on behalf of Industry?
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"The worker was believed to be in Royal Perth Hospital with burns to 40% of his body".
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This operation has a long poor history. This is an excerpt from a media release I wrote in June 2007 after yet another fire at the plant (There are many more examples):
"The DEC Kwinana had clear warning signs about Smorgon Steel over the past few months with complaints of explosions and pollution fallout. The DEC as usual basically ignored these complaints and warning signs with one DEC officer saying there wasn't a problem with Smorgan Steel.
Smorgan Steel can also be remembered for the Bassendean scrap yard fire in December 2004, where premier Geoff Gallop promised an inquiry into scrap yards. Smorgan can also be remembered for the Kewdale scrap yard fire of March 2005.
We attended a community meeting with Smorgan Steel on 16th March 2005, where we expressed concern about the possibility of a Bassendean type fire at the Kwinana site.
Smorgan Steel, the DEC and the Town of Kwinana have made many assurances to this community about this plant, but today we realise how worthless those assurances were.
We call on the authorities to withdraw Smorgan Steel's licenses to operate until they can prove beyond all doubt that their operation is safe".
FESA stood up in a community-industry meeting and went to bat for the company and claimed what a wonderfull job they were doing and how safe it was... Just 24 hours later the place was burning again.
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And now serious questions need to be asked of our regulators/authorities - While I do not now the full details of this accident, I believe it likely that it was preventable...
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We have warned the regulators about, what we believed were, very dodgy goings on at this site for years, we have warned of the explosions, we have warned of the fires, we have warned of the risk to the community and we have warned of the risk to workers because of questionable practices, but of course our regulators once again seemed more interested in protecting industry at any cost!
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We have warned the regulators about, what we believed were, very dodgy goings on at this site for years, we have warned of the explosions, we have warned of the fires, we have warned of the risk to the community and we have warned of the risk to workers because of questionable practices, but of course our regulators once again seemed more interested in protecting industry at any cost!
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Do departments like DOCEP (now DMP), DEC, FESA and Worksafe actually talk to each other? or is it as it seems that they are all the same - cover up to protect industry at any cost?
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We now demand a full inquiry and number one should be why didn't the regulators/authorities listen and act on complaints and concerns? Before someone was seriously hurt.
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How do authorities actually sleep at night? - In my view they should be charged with criminal negligence.
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Incompetent/Corrupt or both?
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Thoughts and wishes go to the injured worker and his family.
3 comments:
They have the cheek to ask why we don't attend the safety meetings. Honestly what's the point, they do nothing more than mouth a responce, when it comes to actual action re safety for workers or community they jump to industries protection.
How many years have we requested they look into certain companies regarding Incidents and Safety. This young mans accident could have been avoided, IF the so called regulators were capable of doing their job.
How many fires and other incidents have Smorgan now One Steel had? We believe that to talk to one another,(DOCEP, DEC, Worksafe and FESA) is far to complicated or awkard. Can you imagine someone having to pick up the phone, heaven forbid.
We wish the injured worker well and a speedy recovery. Burns are very painful, hopefully now Worksafe will be forced to do something to prevent any more incidents.
When will the Authorities be held accountable?
Enviro - 1. For as long as I can remember, the same/similar was happening when I was working in industry some of us have become wiser. 2. I have lost count of the number of fires all up. 3. Yes we do wish him and his family well, it can be a long hard road to recovery.
JJ. It's simple they won't - for example how many times (under the govt of many different political parties) through numerous inquiries has the DEC been found to be inept, incompetent or what ever reason just failed again and again. Yet nothing ever really changes it's business as usual, protect industry at any cost.
There can only be one reason - Our politicians of what ever political party are happy with the DEC being the way they are and more so are probably instructing the DEC to be as they are because all that matters (to them) is industries almighty dollar.
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