A WorkSafe investigation has led to the trial of a self-drive vehicle to ramp up safety following an onsite near miss in Taupō.
Shortcomings in plant installation decisions and risk assessment by energy provider Mercury, and ineffective communication between offsite control room operators and personnel onsite almost led to disaster, prompting a demand for new tech to be trialled. A self-drive vehicle will now carry out plant inspections, in a move that could have wider implications for the technology to be adopted on high-risk sites across the country.
Mercury NZ signed a commitment in response to the uncontrolled release of geothermal steam at its Rotokawa power station near Taupō in July 2021.
While the so-called ‘steam hammer’ event (when steam meets cooler liquid in pipework and fittings) did not injure anyone, it could have seriously harmed workers if they had been in the area at the time, the WorkSafe ruling found.
“The loss of containment was incredibly dangerous. The pipework had been exposed to extreme forces, with an intensity that ejected flange bolts, split valve bonnets, and tore welded fixings,” says WorkSafe’s regulatory support manager, Catalijne Pille.
“Businesses must do everything they can to meet their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act.”
In response to the incident, Mercury has now applied to WorkSafe with a binding commitment to improve safety. The plan, known as an enforceable undertaking, includes:
- Trialling a self-driving vehicle for plant inspections
- Delivery of a leadership programme to promote a proactive safety culture
- Introduction of training focused on hazard awareness and safety in high-risk environments
- Sharing the resources developed and lessons learned from the incident with industry.
As a result of the agreement, WorkSafe’s charges against Mercury have been discontinued. WorkSafe will regularly monitor progress on the commitments that have been agreed and can resume prosecution if necessary.
“The investment from Mercury is the preferred solution in this case. It demonstrates a substantial commitment to health and safety with benefits to workers, community, and the industry that may not have been achieved by prosecution.”
