Incident at Glencore’s Copper Smelter Sparks Concerns from Australian Workers’ Union
The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) has raised serious concerns following an incident at Glencore’s copper smelter in Mount Isa, which left two workers critically injured.
AWU Queensland secretary Stacey Schinnerl expressed deep concern over the incident, stating, “Tough questions need to be asked about how an incident like this has occurred.”
According to reports, the contract workers were at the Mount Isa Mines copper smelter when a steam vent opened adjacent to their work area. The incident occurred on Thursday and resulted in severe injuries to the workers.
ABC News reported that a 26-year-old man sustained burns covering 60% of his body from the neck down, requiring induced coma and assisted breathing. The second worker, aged 25, suffered burns to 50% of his face and neck.
Both injured workers were initially taken to Mount Isa Base Hospital and later airlifted by the Royal Flying Doctor Service to the burns unit at the Royal Brisbane Hospital.
Glencore has suspended operations at Mt Isa, and an investigation is underway.
