Alcoa fined $400k after caustic chemical spill in Kwinana burns Gilmore College students

Aluminium giant Alcoa says it accepts responsibility for a September 2022 incident at its Kwinana refinery that saw workers and Gilmore College students burnt by corrosive chemicals.

Alcoa was fined $400,000 plus $5536 in costs in the Rockingham Magistrates Court on Tuesday over the incident, which saw workers and year 12 students on a work placement burned by a “caustic substance”.

The incident happened at Alcoa’s Kwinana Alumina Refinery.Credit: Philip Gostelow/Bloomberg

The spill, which was first revealed by WAtoday in 2023, was one of 40 such incidents under the miner’s watch in less than two years.

An investigation by WorkSafe WA found the incident occurred after a worker noticed a burning smell and found smoke and debris coming from a pump.

The worker notified his supervisor who attended with other workers

The supervisor opened a discharge valve in the pump to avoid pressure building up and left it to tell the work experience students to leave the area.

As he did that, another worker pressed the start button on the pump unaware the discharge valve was still open, which caused the hot caustic solution to spray from the discharge valve, hit a metal step in the spoon drain, and splash the workers and students.

First aid was provided to the workers and students before they were taken to the site’s medical centre.

WorkSafe commissioner Sally North said the workers and students were extremely lucky not to have sustained more serious injuries.

“Companies must ensure all people at a workplace, including work experience students, are kept safe,” she said.

“Companies must also have robust controls in place and ensure these controls are monitored so they continue to be effective.”

Alcoa pleaded guilty for failing to ensure the health and safety of workers under the Work Health and Safety Act.

An Alcoa spokesman said the company accepted responsibility for the incident.

“The incident occurred during an unplanned pump changeover when an uncontrolled discharge put workers at risk of exposure to an alkaline liquid,” he said.

“At the time of the incident, treatment was provided promptly to those affected.

“Actions were taken to ensure nobody else was exposed to risks in the area and an investigation was carried out with findings used to inform improvements.”

The spokesman said the incident resulted in a dedicated project to prevent chemical contact issues at its refineries.

“The project has led to a significant reduction in chemical exposure incidents and the company continues to investigate options to further reduce any workplace safety risks,” he said.

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