NT WorkSafe has issued a warning to workplaces in the Northern Territory to prepare for severe weather as cyclone season officially begins on November 1.
NT WorkSafe manager WHS (work health and safety) assurance Rob Fereday said businesses should start cleaning up worksites now to secure loose items.
“It is vital worksites are secured to reduce the risk of injury or property damage due to objects becoming airborne and becoming a hazard,” he said.
In March this year, Tropical Cyclone Megan crossed the NT coast as a Catergory 3 storm, with almost 400 people evacuated to Darwin and flood waters reaching record levels.
South32’s Groote Eylandt (GEMCO) manganese operations in the Gulf of Carpentaria were severely hit, with the mine shut down amid damage to infrastructure.
The company has started an extensive dewatering program at GEMCO in recent months and hopes to resume production by the end of the year.
Glencore’s McArthur River mine also paused operations as Cyclone Megan took hold but managed to scrape by with only superficial damage.
Cyclones pose a significant risk to mining operations, with underground mines at risk of filling with water and tailings dams in danger of mixing with flood waters.
Humid, volatile air and warm ocean water influence the development and strength of these systems. It’s widely accepted that their intensity will increase with time.
That’s why it is essential miners prepare as much as possible for oncoming storms by securing infrastructure and reviewing plans for evacuation should a storm reach dangerous levels.
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