2 Dec 2011

Safety paramount, Solid Energy tells workers

7:20 pm on 2 December 2011

Solid Energy has told its workers at the Huntly East mine that safety is of paramount importance and anyone who has concerns should come forward.

About 150 people, most of the company employees, attended a public meeting held by the company in Huntly on Friday afternoon.

It was held to answer questions after safety concerns were raised in the news media about the mine following a spike in methane levels there in mid-November.

Chief executive Don Elder told the meeting Solid Energy takes allegations about unsafe conditions serious but there is no evidence of safety issues at Huntly East.

He said he was frustrated that the worker who had raised the concerns hadn't come forward and said, by not doing so, could be endangering colleagues.

Mr Elder gave assurances that no workers would ever be disadvantaged if they came forward with safety concerns.

Meanwhile, the union representing miners at the Huntly East mine says it is confident health and safety systems at the mine are well-managed.

Ged O'Connell from the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union says the union is not aware of any complaints of a Pike River-like health and safety situation at Huntly East.

He says there is a much higher level of accountability and responsibility because the mine is state-owned.

He says there is also much greater experience and knowledge of underground coal mining at Huntly, unlike Pike River, where there was very little.