Heritage Gold NZ has been fined $30,000 after an employee nearly died from carbon monoxide poisoning working in a Karangahake mine.
On Friday, Waihi District Court judge Peter Rollo fined the Auckland-based mining company $25,000 and ordered it to pay $5000 in reparations to miner Ian MacKenzie.
Mr MacKenzie, one of six
workers treated for suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, had fallen unconscious twice while working a petrol-fuelled loader to remove fallen rock about 900m underground in the Talisman Mine's number eight level.
Heritage Gold pleaded guilty to Occupational Safety and Health's charge of failing to provide a safe environment for workers.
Mr MacKenzie dropped his coffee and fell unconscious after working inside the mine for 1 1/2 hours. He regained consciousness after he was given oxygen by two workmates - Michael Liddington and Reuben Morrison - but blacked out again when they were going to move him out of the mine.
Mr Liddington, who was feeling "very wobbly", crashed the quad motorbike, tipping it on its side when he tried to drive out for help. He walked out instead to raise the alarm, and the Paeroa Fire Brigade was called to help.
Osh found that carbon monoxide came from the petrol engines powering the loader, a quad bike and a generator. Natural ventilation was insufficient and an electric fan suspended from the ceiling of the mine recirculated contaminated air.
The report said the mining company should ensure employees monitored the air to alert them of hazardous build-up and should use diesel engines underground.
- NZPA
