Underground operations at the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project have been halted following a catastrophic failure of critical ventilation equipment that could have resulted in worker fatalities, according to the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU).
In the early hours of Tuesday, an industrial-sized ventilation fan approximately 2.5m in diameter catastrophically malfunctioned, sending dangerous metal shrapnel flying through the air.
No workers were in the immediate vicinity at the time of the failure.
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The incident comes only a month after workers were forced to stop work after underground refuge chambers, crucial for worker survival in the event of an underground emergency, were found to be inoperable and not maintained to the manufacturer’s specifications.
“This latest incident represents a significant near-miss that could have resulted in workers being killed,” AWU NSW Secretary Tony Callinan said.
“Had anyone been in the path of this high-velocity shrapnel, we would be discussing fatalities rather than equipment failure.”
Following the incident, SafeWork NSW inspectors conducted an urgent assessment of the site and have issued six prohibition notices affecting all ventilation fans at the project.
Subsequent inspections revealed other fans in various states of disrepair, with inspectors documenting missing bolts and other concerning maintenance issues.
The AWU is demanding that all ventilation equipment undergo comprehensive inspection by the original manufacturers before any worker returns to the underground portions of the project.
“The condition of these critical safety systems is completely unacceptable,” Callinan said.
“These fans provide the essential ventilation that makes underground work possible.
“Their failure not only represents an immediate hazard from flying debris but could also create lethal atmospheric conditions underground.
This incident raises serious questions about maintenance and safety at the Snowy 2.0 project, which has already faced significant delays and cost overruns since construction began in 2019.
A Snowy Hydro spokesperson said, “Following a serious safety incident at Snowy 2.0, Snowy Hydro will seek an immediate independent safety review and audit, and will require changes to principal contractor Future Generation Joint Venture’s (FGJV) leadership on the project.
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“These actions follow an underground fan failing and losing part of its blade on Tuesday morning. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Underground work was stopped to allow inspection of all fans. FGJV will work with SafeWork NSW to ensure they are safe, with the aim of progressively restarting work.
“Nothing is more important to Snowy Hydro than safety. Recent safety concerns at Snowy 2.0 have made it clear that as the client, our assurance role over FGJV’s activities requires this intervention.
“We’re committed to working with our workforce and unions to ensure that the safety standards we expect are in place at Snowy 2.0.”
