Snowy 2.0 tunnel work shut down due to flying shrapnel

All underground operations at the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project have been halted following the failure of ventilation equipment.

On Tuesday, 25 February, an industrial-sized ventilation fan approximately 2.5 metres in diameter malfunctioned, sending dangerous metal shrapnel flying through the air.

According to the Australian Workers’ Union, the “catastrophic failure” of this critical ventilation equipment could have resulted in worker fatalities. Fortunately, no workers were in the immediate vicinity at the time of the incident.

“Had anyone been in the path of this high-velocity shrapnel, we would be discussing fatalities rather than equipment failure,” said Tony Callinan, AWU NSW Secretary.

The AWU said that 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.

In addition, the AWU has said that all ventilation equipment must undergo comprehensive inspection by the original manufacturers before any worker returns to the underground portions of the project.

“These fans provide the essential ventilation that makes underground work possible,” Callinan said.

“Their failure not only represents an immediate hazard from flying debris but could also create lethal atmospheric conditions underground.”

Image credit: iStock.com/baranozdemir. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.