Miners at South32’s Appin Colliery have been allowed to return to work underground after a state government-issued ban was lifted on Friday.
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The NSW Department of Planning and Environment’s Resources Regulator slapped a prohibition notice on the mine last week after it failed to immediately withdraw workers during a surface gas drainage plant failure.
Underground operations at the mine had ceased, pending a detailed investigation into the January 8 failure and adequate safety measures being put in place.
On Friday, the regulator said it was “satisfied the mine can recommence operations”.
“Appin Colliery has complied with the regulator’s directions in the prohibition notice and as such the ban on workers entering the underground mine is no longer in effect,” a spokesman said.
“Appin Colliery has completed an investigation into the circumstances of the incident, which included reviewing the reliability of the gas drainage plant and the mine’s stoppage trigger action response plan.”
The regulator will monitor the mine’s operations as its own investigation into the incident continues.
“Protecting our workers is a responsibility the NSW government takes extremely seriously,” the spokesman said.
“NSW has a comprehensive regulatory scheme in place and we expect it to be followed at all times.”
On Thursday, a South32 spokesman said the company withdrew the mine’s workforce following the “disruption to its gas extraction system”.
“The safety of our people always comes first,” he said.
“At no time were there elevated levels of gas underground or concerns with the mine’s ventilation system.”