WorkSafe investigating ‘near-decapitation’ of Vertech rope worker at Rio Tinto’s Parker Point wharf

Unions have praised Rio Tinto while accusing a contractor of a cover-up amid an investigation into a “near-decapitation” at an iron ore wharf in WA’s north. A Vertech worker’s head was just inches away from being struck by a fast-moving 350 kilogram chain connected to a large ship about two months ago at Rio’s Parker Point wharf in the Port of Dampier. The Parker Point shiploader hit and destroyed a piece of air compression equipment being used by Vertech technicians a day prior to the near-decapitation incident. Instead of cancelling a hoist job the next day, Vertech allegedly created a makeshift rigging system which failed and caused the 350kg chain to abruptly fling out of the ship towards the head of the Vertech worker who was said to be in a rope harness attached to the jetty. The Offshore Alliance, a partnership between the Australian Workers Union and Maritime Union of Australia, stated the worker “was within 100 millimetres of being decapitated”. This claim was also supported by an industry source that alerted The West Australian to the incident. “This incident was not reported to Rio Tinto (or) Worksafe . . . and the employee who reported the incident to the senior Vertech management working at Parker Point and in Vertech’s Perth HQ was terminated by Vertech due to a ‘lack of work’,” according to the Offshore Alliance. “In fairness to Rio, who were not made aware of the incident by Vertech, they have had the foresight and decency to get in contact with the union and emphasise that they are treating this incident with the utmost seriousness.” It is believed WA’s safety regulator was only made aware of the serious close-call once the Offshore Alliance and Rio become involved. “WorkSafe confirms it’s investigating a report of an incident at Parker Point on May 3. WorkSafe is unable to provide further details while its investigation is ongoing,” a WorkSafe spokesman told The West Australian. Meanwhile, a Vertech spokesman labelled the May 3 incident as a “controlled event”. “Upon being made aware of the individual’s concerns, we assessed the matter and investigated it appropriately,” he said. The Parker Point near-miss is not the first time Vertech’s safety practices have been called into question. In June 2023, Vertech rope access worker Michael Jurman died while working at a platform owned by Woodside about 135 kilometres off the coast of Karratha. “The fatality of Michael Jurman on Woodside’s North Rankin Complex platform was tragic for so many reasons, but entirely avoidable,” according to the Offshore Alliance. “The recent near-decapitation of a rope access worker (at Parker Point) . . . shows that Vertech haven’t learnt a thing.” The Offshore Alliance stated it has in recent weeks been “inundated with reports and feedback about Vertech’s safety culture — or lack thereof”. A Rio spokeswoman said the mining giant was “working to understand more about the concerns raised”. Rio uses ports at Dampier at Cape Lambert to ship more than 320 million tonnes of iron ore each year from its vast network of Pilbara mines.