South Sister St. Marys, Tasmania

South Sister Correspondence

workplace safety

From: David Clement
To: Steve Manson
Cc: Graham Wilkinson, Environmental Defenders' Office, Michael Polley, Tasmania Stateline
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 8:38 AM
[email addresses redacted]

Dear Mr Manson,

Subject: Workplace Safety - South Sister

I refer to my e-mail 13/2/05 regarding the potential danger to contractors and employees working on this coupe arising from landslides.

On Friday 11/2/05 the coupe was visited by Dr O. G Ingles, BA, MSc, FRSC, FIE Aust, MIE, MIEN, C Chem, C Eng, CP ENG. He has contacted me as a matter of urgency today and faxed the first page of his report on his inspection, asking me to draw to you attention the following introductory paragraph 'as a matter of urgency'. The balance of the page is not directly relevant, which is why it is not forwarded to you, although the whole report will be provided to you when we receive it an a few days time.

The relevant passage reads:-

'The small zone around South Sister has by far the most serious rainfall intensity in the whole state. It is the combination of intensity and duration which leads to major landslips of disastrous proportions as Lumb (1975) has clearly shown. Inspection of the rainfall records for Cullenswood 1894 to 2004 indicates potentially disastrous conditions in 1911, 1929, 1956, 1969 and 1974, always in March, April, or May. In terms of risk management alone, it would be quite irresponsible to conduct any roading or harvesting operations during that period of the year. This should be brought to the attention of Forestry Tasmania as a matter of urgency, as lives could be at risk'

I believe that this opinion should be considered together with the previous advice to you regarding the Jubilee Mine workings, and the opinion of Mr R Rallings on landslide risk.

David Clement

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