A mine operator made a request to Hamiltons Blasting Services to conduct blasting at the Albury Quarry.
The mine operator required an overburden blast along a large bench
in the south-western area of the quarry,
and, secondary blasting to break up oversize rocks on the quarry floor.
On the 10th of April 2018, at approximately 2.30pm,
the quarry manager’s partner and three friends arrived at the quarry.
At roughly the same, a truck driver employed by a haulage contractor arrived at the quarry to have his truck loaded.
The driver said he was interested in watching the blast.
In addition, another four quarry workers arrived at the firing location to watch the blast.
None of these workers were involved in the blasting activity.
All of these individuals were permitted to remain at the firing location.
After the pre-blast briefing and prior to the blasts,
three of the workers and the visiting truck driver moved 45 metres forward of the firing location.
The group was now gathered about 275 metres from the blast area.
The shotfirer, quarry manager and a worker
were about 320 metres from the blast area.
At 2:30pm, the main blast occurred.
Multiple rocks were launched into the air by the blast.
Three light vehicles and two excavators were struck by flyrock.
A large piece of rock struck the shotfirer’s utility,
knocked the vehicle’s raised bonnet off its mounts and smashed the windscreen.
Luckily, no one was struck by the flyrock.
Exclusion zones were not adequately established,
and the mine required all personnel to be at the front gate.
Sentries and blast guards were not assigned or in place at the time of the blast.
The firing location should have been located behind the blast area.
Non-essential personnel were present at the firing location.
Those present at the firing location were too close to the blast area putting them at risk of being struck by flyrock.
Inadequate blast design and Insufficient design burden created fly rock.
The correct type of explosive was not used in all blast holes.
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