Five workers injured in a chemical spill at a Western Australia refinery

In a recent incident at Alcoa's Pinjarra refinery, five workers were affected by a chemical spill, drawing emergency crews to the alumina refinery in Pinjarra, Western Australia. 

The spill, involving a caustic solution integral to the alumina extraction process from bauxite ore, occurred around 4 pm on a Tuesday. Two of the five affected workers were taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital for treatment, while the others received on-site medical attention.

The injured workers, a man in his 30s and another in his 60s, were reported to be in stable condition by 6 pm that evening. Alcoa, a leading aluminum producer, has pledged full cooperation with authorities and is committed to conducting a comprehensive investigation into the incident. The company expressed deep concern for the well-being of the affected workers, emphasising that any workplace injury is deemed unacceptable.

This unfortunate event follows two previous chemical spills at the Pinjarra Refinery, with the most recent incident occurring in December 2021, where three workers suffered burns. In 2014, another employee was hospitalised due to a toxic spill at the site. The recurrence of such incidents raises concerns about safety protocols and practices at the refinery.

On Wednesday, a day after the spill, Alcoa reported that one of the hospitalised workers had been released, and the other was expected to leave later in the day. In its statement, the company reiterated its commitment to understanding the causes and contributing factors of the incident and pledged to implement corrective actions as necessary.

WorkSafe WA is set to dispatch a team to the site for a thorough investigation, while the exact cause of the spill remains unknown. This incident adds to a series of safety challenges faced by Alcoa's Pinjarra Refinery, located approximately 95 km south of Perth. 

The refinery, operational for 60 years, is one of the largest alumina refineries globally, producing 4.7 million metric tonnes of alumina annually and employing 4,500 individuals, with 1,160 employees based on-site. The recurrent nature of such incidents underscores the critical importance of stringent safety measures in industrial operations, urging companies to prioritise the well-being of their workforce.