NSW Resources Regulator Reports Quarry Fire Injuring Worker

A worker at an open‑cut quarry in New South Wales' Central West was narrowly spared serious burns on 25 November 2024 when a water pump he was refuelling ignited. The pump had been modified with a larger fuel container, and a spout fell from the jerry‑can, causing petrol to splash onto a hot engine and ignite. The fire engulfed the pump and the fuel can; the worker extinguished it using a front‑end loader and escaped with only minor burns to his right hand.

The NSW Resources Regulator found the quarry operator failed to conduct a formal risk assessment, did not provide adequate training or instructions for the refuelling process, and did not ensure the pump was refuelled at the start of a shift when the engine was cool. The incident highlights shortcomings in workplace safety procedures at the quarry, which produces silica quartz pebble, clay, sand and basalt products.