Copper smelter explodes. Just another day at PKC

by Peter Mac

A multiple explosion at Port Kembla Copper's smelter 11 days ago was the 
latest in a series of disasters at the plant. Like this week's revelations 
about ICI's Botany chlorine installation, the PKC saga has serious 
implications for the safety of the public, as well as for workers at the 
plant.

The latest catastrophe was caused by molten copper coming into contact with 
water, which caused three explosions and wrecked the centre of the plant.

The accident has highlighted major deficiencies in the smelter process and 
equipment. The process emits sulphure dioxide gas, which a CSIRO report has 
identified as the major source of concern in 90 per cent of previous 
accidents between February 1 and June 30 last year.

This is normally dealt with by acid bath treatment of the gas, but if the 
treatment system fails, the plant has no means of dealing with the gas 
other than to release it into the atmosphere.

There is no emergency back-up treatment equipment at the plant. Unions and 
local MPs have called for a major inquiry into occupational health and 
safety (OH&S) at the plant. The Australian Workers' Union national OH&S 
officer, Dr Dr Yossi Berger has long been a critic of conditions at the 
smelter.

In response to the latest emergency, Dr Berger stated that conditions at 
some areas of the plant were dangerous, and in others were appalling. He 
added: "I believe that management clearly understands that sulphur dioxide 
is hazardous... I noted workers' deep frustrations with health and safety 
generally and particularly in relation to sulphur dioxide."

State government safety inspectors from Planning NSW have inspected the 
plant and are expected to issue a report shortly. Miraculously, the 
incidents at the plant have so far only resulted in minor injuries, but the 
potential for fatalities is serious.

There are also ongoing implications for the PKC workers in simply being 
there, quite apart from the dangers posed by emergencies.

Some work has already resumed at the plant, but Dr Berger believes that 
workers at the plant are inhaling a significantly higher level of sulphur 
than has been recognised to date, and Wollongong MP Colin Markham has 
called for the plant to remain closed until an open inquiry has been held 
into its operations.

PKC management have to date done nothing to allay long-held fears of 
residents about safety at the plant. A public meeting called to discuss the 
CSIRO's report on the plant was described by one angry resident as a "time-
waster".

Local resident Helen Hamilton said that copies of the report had been 
handed to residents attending the meeting at the door as they entered. They 
therefore had no time to read and digest the report.

PKC management has described the report's conclusions as containing some 
"useful analysis", but claimed that the rate of incidents is actually 
decreasing as engineering issues are resolved.

As so frequently happens, PKC management also attempted by implication to 
attribute blame for the incidents to its workforce, claiming patronisingly 
that "personnel competencies (have now) increased."

Another meeting is scheduled to be held on June 29. This should be, as they 
say, a different kettle of fish.