Court clears coalmine of negligence

Press, 24 April 1986, Page 18

Court clears coalmine of negligence

PA Westport The owner of the Boatmans No. 4 coalmine, Mr Hugh Hassan, has been cleared by a court of inquiry of any negligence leading to the deaths of four men in the mine last September. The inquiry ended in Westport this week and the findings will now be forwarded to the Minister of Energy, Mr Tizard. The Court said there was no evidence of negligence on the part of Mr Hassan. In his submissions to the Court at the end of the hearing of evidence, counsel for the Inspector of Mines, Mr Bill Brazil, asked the Court to give very close consideration to the recommendations of the inspector after his investigation into the cause of the accident. Included in the recommendations were: • Compulsory use of self rescue breathing apparatus in all underground mines. • Increased research on the design and the

material used in stoppings. • Time switches on ventilation fans should be compulsory. • Regulations should be amended to allow varied time of running of these fans to suit individual mines. • A gap between the departure of a mines inspector and the arrival of his successor should not be allowed to occur again. • That in line with the recommendations of the Strongman disaster commission, outside investigators, possibly from overseas, should be asked to investigate and make decisions on reopening of mines following similar happenings. • Improvements in the level of education in mining management Mr Harding concluded by asking the Court to make note of Mr Brazil’s special thanks and praise for the courage and common sense of the Reefton, Granity and Dobson mines rescue teams.