Government of Western Australia | Alcoa was fined $400,000 and ordered to pay $5,536.70 costs after caustic solution burns at its Kwinana refinery.
In September 2022, a shift supervisor at Alcoa’s Kwinana alumina refinery opened a discharge valve during a pump changeover, causing an uncontrolled release of hot caustic solution that burned workers and visiting students. The supervisor left the valve open and the pump was started inadvertently.
Alcoa pleaded guilty to breaching the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA) and was fined $400,000 plus costs.
