A wide range of failures have been identified in a dangerous quarry blast which sprayed large rocks towards 12 bystanders and damaged multiple vehicles.
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A rock blast was conducted by Hamiltons Blasting Services at a quarry run by Burgess Earthmoving on April 10, 2018.
Workers, a shotfirer and members of the public were put at risk when multiple rocks were launched into the air by the blast.
Most of those at the Ettamogah quarry, who were inside the exclusion zone, had to take evasive action to avoid being struck.
One person who filmed the incident could be heard swearing as rock travelled towards them.
Three cars and two excavators in the area were struck.
One rock hit a four-wheel drive with such impact, it knocked the vehicle's bonnet off its mounts and smashed through the front windscreen.
Multiple people who filmed the incident were told to delete the footage.
The incident was not reported to the NSW Resources Regulator until September 7 that year.
The exact circumstances were not known until the regulator was given video footage two months later.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The regulator has released a report which noted those at the scene "were at risk of being seriously injured".
"There was inadequate supervision of the blast, the quarry manager did not possess the competence to ensure effective controls were implemented, (and) the shotfirer failed to use the judgement necessary to take control of the scene before firing the blast," the report noted.
"The mine operator did not sufficiently monitor activity at the quarry, multiple procedural safety standards were not followed, including exclusion zones were not established.
"Non-essential personnel were present at the firing location.
"Those present at the firing location were too close to the blast area."
Those at the scene were not given enough information and training, and the report noted the firing location should have been behind the blast area.
The blast design was also inadequate and the wrong explosives were used in some blast holes.
The quarry manager was replaced after the incident, a new blasting company employed, and safety plans have been improved, while Hamiltons Blasting Services has also made several changes.