As ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to impact Southeast Queensland, the state’s resources regulator is calling on quarries in the region to maintain their preparedness and safety measures.
Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ), which oversees more than 400 sites in the southern region, emphasises the ongoing risks posed by the cyclone’s aftermath.
RSHQ’s Chief Inspector of Mineral Mines and Quarries, Hermann Fasching, highlighted the critical safety concerns that sites must address in the wake of Cyclone Alfred.
“As Queenslanders, we’re no strangers to cyclones and neither are our mines and quarries,” Fasching stated.
“Sites need to ensure there are no structures that can become mid-air weapons during cyclonic winds.”
Fasching stressed the importance of managing explosives carefully, noting the increased risk of fume events and potential misfires due to wet weather conditions.
He also emphasised the need for robust emergency response systems, stating: “An adequate emergency response and rescue system must be in place in case a severe weather event causes injury, entrapment or damage to buildings or infrastructure.”
The regulator recommends that each site’s safety system should include:
- A process for identifying and warning potentially affected individuals
- A system for moving people to safety, including off-site evacuation considerations
- Timely actions to mitigate risks to acceptable levels
As Cyclone Alfred has already made landfall, causing widespread power outages and flooding across Southeast Queensland, these safety measures are more critical than ever.
With over 350,000 homes and businesses still without power, the impact of the cyclone continues to be felt across the region.
Fasching concluded with a stark reminder: “You’d prepare your home for a cyclone, so make sure you prepare your site too.”
This advice underscores the importance of ongoing vigilance and preparedness in the face of severe weather events, even after the immediate threat has passed.
As cleanup efforts begin and public services gradually resume, the resources sector’s response to Cyclone Alfred serves as a crucial component of the broader community recovery efforts.