Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy
NEWS UPDATE
~ November 7, 2011 ~ Six weeks of hearings about to start
The Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy will resume hearings next Monday (14 November), with nine
witnesses to be called during November.
The Commission is holding six weeks of hearings during November, December and February to examine matters raised in the
Phase Three List of Issues entitled "What happened at Pike River?". [http://pikeriver.royalcommission.govt.nz/List-of-Issues]]
The cause of the explosions, the management and functions of Pike 's health and safety system, the adequacy of the
underground mine systems and the oversight of the mine by the mine inspectors will all be examined during these
hearings.
Witness list for November hearings
An expert on hydro mining from Japan and witnesses from the Department of Labour are amongst those to appear during the
November hearings as the Commission focusses on the performance of mines' inspectors and on the hydro mining systems at
the mine .
Monday 14 November – Friday 18 November
Opening Statement
Simon Mount, Counsel Assisting the Commission
External oversight of health and safety at the mine
Michael Firmin, Health and Safety Inspector, Department of Labour Kevin Poynter, Former Health and Safety Inspector,
Department of Labour Alan Cooper, Practice Leader, Health and Safety Practice Development, Department of Labour
Kathleen Callaghan, Director, Human Factors Group, The University of Auckland David Stewart, Chairperson, Mines Rescue
Trust
Monday 21 November – Friday 25 November
Mine systems (the hydro mining process and related systems)
Craig Smith, General Manager, Underground Mines, Solid Energy Masaoki Nishioka, Former Hydro Mining Operator, Pike River
Coal Ltd Stephen Wylie, Former Deputy, Pike River Coal Ltd George Mason, Former Hydro Mining Co-ordinator, Pike River
Coal Ltd
December/February hearings plans
Further witness lists will be released for the hearings scheduled for Monday 5 December to Friday 16 December 2011 and
Tuesday 7 February to Friday 17 February 2012. These will be available from the Commission's website.
In December the hearings will examine Pike's health and safety systems and the safety culture at the mine in relation to
management, miners and contractors.
During the February hearings the Commission will look at the cause of the explosions and further consider mine systems
focussing on those elements that contributed to the initial explosion.
Pike River Coal tragedy anniversary
As the Commission prepares to return to Greymouth it is very mindful of other preparations going on in the community for
the anniversary of the tragedy on 19 November.
The Commission appreciates that its work and media reporting means many people continue to re-live aspects of the
tragedy.
During the hearings the Commission will continue to do everything it can to protect the privacy and interests of family
members. However it is essential for the Inquiry to proceed so that the cause of the tragedy is found and to enable
well tested recommendations for the future to be made.
~ Key Dates ~
Hearing dates
Monday 14 November - Friday 25 November 2011
Monday 5 December - Friday 16 December 2011
(19, 20,21,December available if needed)
Tuesday 7 February - Friday 17 February 2012