An inspection of Gorgon contractor Boskalis and their cranes and rigging equipment by the Gorgon Project manager Kellogg Joint Venture (KJV) has identified significant areas of concerns, MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said today.
Mr Crumlin said if the issues identified were not addressed then Gorgon Project manager KJV have said that they will have no option but to shut down their equipment resulting in the halting of the most significant works on the project.
“There has to be a safety audit of the project immediately or our members will have no choice but to stop work,” he said.
“This is a major blow to the safety record of both the project and the major Gorgon Contractor Boskalis.
“The deficiencies highlighted by the project manager’s inspection have heightened calls by the MUA to have a full and transparent audit of the cranes and lifting equipment of Boskalis – as well as the identified training and certification deficiencies, and the breaching of minimum statutory requirements in respect to cranes.
“This audit has to happen, or the project should come to a halt so that the safety of MUA members working in high risk areas of work is not compromised.
“The MUA is calling for the project manager KJV, or Chevron itself, to conduct this full and transparent audit so the safety of its members can be guaranteed.
“This is a $43 billion job and we cannot condone a set of circumstances where our members are endangered because of the reckless approach to safety in high risk areas of working, such as lifting, by the major contractor on the Gorgon project.”
MUA Western Australia Branch Secretary Chris Cain also said: “No one wants to see a project of this size and national significance stopped, but if Chevron won’t take the inspections of its own project managers seriously, then we can’t be expected to sit by and watch our members be put in danger.
“This job will stop before we see any more of our members injured. We have seen a number of serious injuries already on this part of the project being run by Boskalis, as well as the largest vessel having a hole punched in it and another vessel sunk.
“There have been numerous unreported environmental breaches and our members have had enough.”
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Source: Mua, December 3, 2010; Image: Boskalis