Press strategy for dangerous situations crucial

摘要

Mineral houses should be prepared to handle the media .in a crisis situation -particularly when death or potential fatalities are involved. This, according to Allegiance Mining NL's general manager Paul Richardson, was one of the main lessons learnt by the company after an underground incident at its Avebury nickel project in western Tasmania during January this year. Speaking at a recent IIR Conferences mine safety forum held in Western Australia, Richardson said the resources house was "never ready for the lengths to which these guys (photographers and journalists) will go" to get a story or picture. No one was hurt during the near fatal event when the brakes of a truck travelling down the Avebury decline failed, resulting in the vehicle crashing into the side of the adit and catching fire. Three workers, including driver Nigel Mayes, found their way to a refuge chamber and waited to be rescued. The alarm was raised at 7.54 am and, by 11.22 am, a rescue team from the nearby Henty gold mine (which is now owned by Canadian Barrick Gold Corporation) located the men. Thirteen minutes later they were safely back on surface.