Construction activities on the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project in New South Wales have been temporarily suspended following two serious incidents yesterday. The work, which involves creating underground tunnels in Kosciuszko National Park, was halted after a malfunction of an industrial ventilation fan sent metal shrapnel flying, posing significant safety risks. In an unrelated event, a crane unexpectedly malfunctioned.
SafeWork NSW inspectors were dispatched to the site and issued six prohibition notices, ordering the cessation of operations involving the hazardous fans. Trent Curtin, Acting Deputy Secretary of SafeWork NSW, expressed serious concerns about the incidents, labelling the safety risks as “unacceptable”. He noted that while addressing safety management with site personnel, reports emerged of the dangerous events. One incident involved the crane malfunction, while the other was tied to the failing ventilation fan, which released debris into the air. The inspectors identified additional fans that also posed potential dangers, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Tony Callinan, Secretary of the NSW Branch of the Australian Workers Union, described the fan failure as a “catastrophic malfunction” and remarked on the sheer luck that no injuries occurred. He emphasised that such incidents represent significant near misses that could have led to fatalities had a worker been positioned in the path of the flying debris.
In light of these events, an independent safety review will be conducted, resulting in the temporary removal of all underground workers from the site. Curtin stated the importance of ensuring every worker can expect a safe working environment and reiterated that inspections would prevent the unsafe ventilation fans from being used until safety conditions were guaranteed.
The Snowy Hydro 2.0 project, which began construction in 2019, aims to build an underground hydroelectric power station connecting the Tantangara and Talbingo dams. Originally announced by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2017 as a transformative electricity solution, the project has faced challenges, highlighting the critical importance of worker safety and operational integrity on site.