The Labor Government led by Premier Daniel Andrews is bringing forward new set of requirements which will see mine operators carry out risk assessments and develop fire management plans.
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The new requirements, which were announced by Minister for Resources Lily D’Ambrosio and Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing on Friday, will improve safety at the three major coal mines in the Latrobe Valley ahead of the 2015/16 bushfire season, in line with the recommendations of the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry.
According to the media release issued by Mr Andrews, the Hazelwood, Yallourn and Loy Yang coal mines will each be required to carry out a risk assessment of the likelihood and impact of fire in the worked-out areas of their mines and an assessment of the most practical and effective fire protection of exposed coal surfaces.
They will also be required to implement a plan to reduce the risk of a fire in the mine, to fight any fires that occur and to mitigate the impacts of any fires.
Coal mine operators have agreed to publicly report on the progress of rehabilitation works on an annual basis, commencing this year. The Government will fulfil its commitment to implement regulatory reform to ensure this is an industry standard.
In addition, Victorian firefighters will be trained and equipped with the latest technology to battle brown coal mine fires.
The Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry will also be reopened to look into the reported spike of deaths and consider options for the mine’s rehabilitation.
“What happened at Hazelwood must never be allowed to happen again. Now the mine operators will have to do more to be prepared and keep the mine safe. This isn’t just about the safety of the mine – it’s about the safety of tens of thousands of firefighters and Latrobe Valley locals. That’s what matters most to us,” Premier Andrews said.
“In the middle of a disaster, the Coalition left the people of the Valley on their own. The Labor Government is fast tracking these tough new changes, so mine operators have to meet the most stringent standards of safety,” said Minister for Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio.
