Safety fears after concerning incidents on Metro Tunnel build
A growing number of concerning incidents on the Metro Tunnel has some staff worried that they won’t make it home for Christmas.
Victoria
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Insiders have warned of safety fears on the Metro Tunnel after a recent string of concerning incidents across different parts of the $11 billion project.
On Tuesday, firefighters were called into a tunnel site at North Melbourne and workers evacuated after a chemical reaction with epoxy began to fill the underground area with fumes.
Pictures obtained by the Herald Sun also show two separate incidents in which large pieces of heavy machinery, a telehandler and an excavator, were flipped on to their side.
In another incident recorded in November, a large piece of metal pipe used at a CBD site fell from the ceiling and came crashing to the ground.
No serious injuries have been recorded in these incidents but workers speaking on the condition of anonymity have flagged mounting concerns among staff as they go into the holiday period.
“The accidents have been more frequent lately and it has people on edge,” one source said.
“These are all things that can be avoided and we just want to make sure everyone gets home for Christmas.”
The Christmas season typically sees an increase in workplace injuries as the number of accidents spike across different industries.
Between 2008 and 2017, November and December accounted for more than fifth of all workplace deaths in Victoria.
Other workers have flagged demarcation between unions on site as another contributor to the problem, with safety issues flagged more regularly on some parts of the massive project than others.
A Rail Projects Victoria spokesman said no workers were injured during the tunnel evacuation.
“On Tuesday afternoon, a small quantity of a non-toxic product was being mixed, to be used within one of the tunnels at the new Arden Station,” he said.
“After being mixed, the product emitted unexpected fumes.
“The MFB provided assistance and declared the area safe for work to recommence soon after.”
The spokesman said the cause of the problem was being investigated.
“Every worker on the Metro Tunnel project is authorised and encouraged to stop work if they believe an activity is unsafe and raise any safety concerns with their supervisor or health and safety representative,” he said.
“We’ll keep working closely with our construction contractors to ensure the highest standard of safety is being adhered to at all times.”
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