|
Ellendale Mine Worker Accuses Kimberley Diamonds of Unsafe Practices
Aug 5, 2015 5:29 AM
By Rapaport News
|
|
RAPAPORT... An ex-employee of the Ellendale diamond mine in Australia that was shut down at the end of June has accused former owner Kimberley Diamonds of violating safety regulations at the mine in the weeks preceding its closure.
Crane operator Garry Clements told Australian news outlet ABC that hazard reports filed by workers were ignored during the last six weeks of the mine’s operation.
He also alleged that mine management hid a defective crane from safety inspectors from the Department of Mines and Petroleum to prevent them from declaring it unsafe for use at the site.
Kimberley responded in written statement that Clements's allegations were false. The company said that health and safety had "always been a paramount concern" and that it was not aware of a crane that was hidden from government inspectors at the Ellendale site.
Kimberley is currently focused on recommissioning its Lerala diamond mine in Botswana, which it acquired in February 2014. The mining company had to temporarily halt work at the mine in June after a worker died in a workplace accident.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tags:
Australia, death, Ellendale, KDL, Kimberley Diamonds Limited, Lerala, Rapaport News, safety, workplace
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|