By Emma Mackie
An Australian mines safety expert has told the Royal Commission of Inquiry that risk controls which should have been in place at Pike River have been usual practice in the mining industry for more than 25 years.
David Reece continued his testimony at the inquiry today where he was cross-examined about the expert report he provided to the Department of Labour investigation into the disaster.
Mr Reece confirmed there were problems with gas drainage implementation and design at the mine that a “prudent operator” should have addressed.
Counsel Assisting the Commission, James Wilding, also questioned the expert witness about the design of the mine in relation to the second escape route.
Mr Reece said he was perplexed by the second egress, not only because it was in the ventilation shaft, but because the men were expected to climb out of it.
“In the first instance, you reduce your scope for response if something goes wrong.
“You’re severely limited right at the start, that can affect personal entry or escape,” said Mr Reece.
He told the commission the egress also caused a problem with ventilation control because there was only one ventilation intake and one ventilation return.
“If you lose either one…then your ventilation is immediately restricted,” he said.
Mr Reece said Queensland regulations no longer allowed a second escape route to be in the return airway.
Earlier today Mr Reece said although it was most likely to have been an electrical ignition source, he could not rule out the presence of contraband underground as a cause of the explosion that killed 29 men.
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