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Jeffery Plumb files lawsuit against FMS Resources for accident at Blackwater coal mine

A rigger is suing for $1.453 million for a workplace accident at a Central Queensland mine that left him with a shoulder injury.

One man dead, two injured after Qld mine collapse

A former rigger is suing for $1.453 million for a workplace accident at a Central Queensland mine that he says left him with a shoulder injury that required multiple surgeries.

Jeffery John Plumb, 47, who lives in Grasstree Beach south of Mackay, was employed by FMS Resources to work as a rigger at the Blackwater coal mine in Blackwater.

The lawsuit was filed against Mackay based company FMS Resources in the Rockhampton Supreme Court by Shine Lawyers on September 8 for $1,453,072.54 over the incident, which occurred on February 4, 2018.

According to the court documents, Mr Plumb was working a night shift at the mine and was performing shutdown work on an electric rope shovel at the time of the incident, which he claimed involved moving a bull gear.

He claimed he and a crane operator had devised a method where the former would pass a chain from one side of the bull gear through a cut-out to the latter on the other side of the bull gear.

He claimed he would lay on top of the bull gear and stretched out his left arm into a cut out and under the bull gear in order for the crane operator to receive the chain.

Once the chain had been passed to the crane operator, he claimed, on this occasion, he stood up and felt pain and weakness in his left shoulder.

He claimed FMS Resources failed to provide a safe place of work and further claimed the company failed to raise the bull gear prior to it being ‘slinged’ so that chains could be passed through cut-outs without the need for a worker to extend their arm while holding a chain.

He claimed he suffered left shoulder injuries, as well as an adjustment disorder, and claimed he had two surgical procedures to fix his left shoulder problems.

He claimed he had ongoing left shoulder problems following the surgeries.

Mr Plumb alleges in the court documents he suffered economic loss and could have earnt $361,035.60 between the date of the incident and August 24.

He also says he was unable to return to work as a rigger due to the injuries he sustained in the incident.

He claimed he had applied for employment in alternate positions, including as a storeman and trade’s assistant, but had been unsuccessful due to failing pre-employment medicals as a result of his injuries.

FMS Resources had yet to file a defence.

FMS Resources was contacted for comment but did not respond by time of publication.

Originally published as Jeffery Plumb files lawsuit against FMS Resources for accident at Blackwater coal mine

Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/queensland/rockhampton/jeffery-plumb-files-lawsuit-against-fms-resources-for-accident-at-blackwater-coal-mine/news-story/6a857f15efb0f33678aaa1c45e3a79f1