Workers at Queensland’s Callide power station are calling for action, not apologies after a long awaited report revealed that CS Energy did not value safety in the lead up to a catastrophic explosion in 2021.
The report by forensic engineer, Sean Brady found that a series of technical failures around a battery charger change-out led to an explosion which was so extreme that a 300kg piece of equipment ejected 20 metres into the air and a 2-tonne piece of shaft flew across the floor.
Queensland District President Mitch Hughes said that workers were not surprised that safety had not been a priority in the lead up to the explosion.
“Unfortunately, workers are not surprised that the report ultimately shows that there has been a failure to implement effective process safety practices.
“The report today also confirms that staff have been raising concerns about safety and maintenance for years prior to the explosion.
“Workers aren’t interested in apologies; they want to see how CS Energy are going to improve their risk management processes and put worker safety front and centre.
“The Mining and Energy Union will be working with members to ensure that workers' concerns are fully addressed and any actions taken prioritise safety in a meaningful way.”
Mr Hughes said that the MEU would be reviewing the 300+ page report into the explosion in detail.