The Hazelwood Mine Fire

admin • February 2, 2026

The 9th February 2014 was the day that The Hazelwood mine caught fire.

It was during a period of extreme fire danger that a bushfire started nearby and sent embers into the open cut coal mine.

The fire burnt out of control for 45 days and it took another 72 days for the fire to be put out.

The impact on the community and on the workers who helped to fight the fire was horrific.


The fire was a large scale environmental and health disaster, with ongoing ramifications for those in the vicinity. It would later become the subject of an inquiry, multiple prosecutions and has been the subject of two books by Tom Doig which make very interesting reading.


From an OHS perspective, this event makes an interesting case study. The fire was preventable, and the safety failures resulted in workers being exposed to hazardous conditions, with long term effects. Firefighters and mine personnel faced extreme occupational hazards while responding to the event. These included toxic smoke inhalation, fatigue from prolonged shifts, extreme heat exposure and direct contact with burning coal and ash. Also impacted were volunteers and emergency personnel, as well as members of the public. Inadequate PPE, lack of training and inadequate water infrastructure all added to the hazardous conditions. The physical and psychological impacts continue to this day.


It was found that there had been systemic failures in Occupational Health and Safety at the site. The mine operator (Hazelwood Power company, co-owned by Engie and Mitsui & Co) was found to have failed to:

  • Adequately assess the risk of fire in the mine, as a result of external sources such as bushfires
  • Adequately maintain vegetation buffers
  • Have sufficient firefighting water infrastructure
  • Have sufficient and adequately skilled staff on site to respond to fire
  • Have an updated fire mitigation plan and to activate it during periods of extreme fire danger

In the words of Colin Radford, WorkSafe CEO: "This was an entirely foreseeable event that has led to significant adverse health impacts”


The adverse health impacts were felt by workers and by the broader community. The massive smoke plumes which blanketed Morwell and the Latrobe valley for a prolonged period resulted in many suffering acute and chronic health effects.


The Hazelwood mine fire exposed issues with crisis management, safety and health governance and emergency response.

 

The operator of the mine, Hazlewood Power Corporation Pty Ltd was eventually prosecuted by WorkSafe and found guilty and fined. The penalty was $1.56 million for breaching sections 21 and 23 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Hazelwood Pacific Pty Ltd, Australian Power Partners B.V, Hazelwood Churchill Pty Ltd and National Power Australia were found guilty of breaching the Environment Protection Act. They each were fined $95,000 for offences relating to pollution, totalling $380,000.


There continues to be ongoing environmental concerns regarding the remaining mine pit. The owner of the mine, French owned company Engie, is required to rehabilitate the site of the now closed open-cut pit. The process for determining the appropriate 'rehabilitation' is still ongoing, with concerns regarding the use of the Latrobe River water for this purpose, the instability of the pit and potential toxicity of the water. The hazards associated with this mine continue to cause concern.


For those interested in finding out more about the Hazelwood Mine disaster, Tom Doig’s books are highly recommended reading:

Hazelwood by Tom Doig - Penguin Books Australia

The Coal Face: Penguin Special by Tom Doig - Penguin Books Australia


For more information relating to the ongoing Hazelwood concerns, take a look at:

Hazelwood Mine Rehabilitation – Update 2025

Hazelwood Rehabilitation Project

Bushfire

By admin • January 27, 2026
Australia is a fire-prone country, and workplaces in many areas are at risk of being impacted by bushfires in some way. The effects of bushfires may include direct exposure to fire, as well as smoke exposure and psychological impacts. As with any workplace hazard, employers have a duty to manage and control the risk of injury. A bushfire risk assessment should therefore be undertaken. Through this process, employers should: Identify whether there is a potential bushfire hazard Assess the risk of bushfires affecting the health and safety of workers, including smoke exposure Identify appropriate control measures Review control measures to ensure they are effective and that no new hazards have been introduced Consultation with workers should occur at each stage of this process. When developing a bushfire risk assessment and policy, employers should consider the following: How will fire danger ratings be monitored throughout the bushfire season? How vulnerable is the workplace location? What actions will be taken on days of extreme or catastrophic fire danger? Are there workers who travel for work or spend significant time on the road? Are there workers who operate alone or in isolated locations? What emergency and evacuation plans are in place? Once a bushfire policy has been developed in consultation with workers, appropriate training must be provided. Employers are legally required to ensure workers receive the necessary information, instruction, and training to remain safe at work, including in relation to bushfire risks. For more information, take a look at: Working outside - Working near bushfires | Safe Work Australia

HSRs rights to training

By admin • January 19, 2026
Under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 , Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) are not required to be trained in order to exercise their powers. However, in order to fully understand their role and powers, training is highly beneficial and recommended by WorkSafe. Most HSRs will not understand how to make the most of their role as an HSR without participating in training – and therefore it is not until training has been completed that an HSR can maximise their positive impact upon the safety of their workplace. HSRs rights in relation to training are outlined under Section 67 of the OHS Act. They include: The right to attend initial training after being elected The right to attend a refresher course at least once a year The right to choose their course. This includes their course provider and course* The right for their course to be paid for by their employer, as well as associated costs with attending the course The right to be paid while attending the course *The course must be approved by WorkSafe and delivered by a WorkSafe approved provider, such as BeSafe. The HSR must consult with their employer and give 14 days notice. Section 69 of the OHS Act also discusses further the rights of HSR to training. This covers the right to attend additional training, when WorkSafe has approved them under Section 69 . HSRs have a right to attend these courses on top of the s67 courses. HSRs can be a very useful resource for employers in helping to create safe and healthy workplaces. It is in their best interest to encourage their HSRs to be trained. However, in the case where an employer does not allow the HSR to be trained as per the requirements under The Act, there are penalties which apply to this conduct, as it is a breach of the Legislation. For more information take a look at: Health and safety representative training | WorkSafe Victoria HSRs' Right to Training - OHS Reps Or get in contact with us for assistance: 0467002060 HSR Training and support | BeSafe | Regional Victoria You can book WorkSafe approved courses with us at HSR Training Courses | BeSafe | Regional Victoria