BHP has suggested driver error may have been a factor in last fortnight’s runaway train and eventual derailment on its Pilbara iron ore railway.
An internal investigation conducted by BHP in the days after the dramatic incident, which left scores of loaded iron ore wagons in a twisted heap and shut down the railway for several days, has indicated the emergency air brake for the entire train was not engaged “as required by the relevant operating procedure”.
Watch: News footage shows aftermath of BHP derailment
BHP’s WA Iron Ore asset president Edgar Basto said this week the train had initially come to a stop because a braking system control cable became disconnected.
Shortly after the driver disembarked to investigate the issue, the train began to move, becoming what is termed a “rollaway” train.
“The train was then derailed intentionally,” Basto said, “because it could not be brought to a stop with the braking system. This decision was made with safety as the highest priority.”
The derailment was triggered by BHP’s control centre in Perth, at a set of points near Turner, 119 kilometres from Port Hedland.
The fully loaded, 268-wagon train had travelled roughly 90 kilometres without its driver before it was derailed.
“Our initial findings show that the emergency air brake for the entire train was not engaged as required by the relevant operating procedure,” Basto explained.
“In addition, the electric braking system that initially stopped the train, automatically released after one hour while the driver was still outside. Due to integration failure of the backup braking system, it was not able to deploy successfully.”
BHP says it put in place a range of safety controls as a result of the initial findings, and then restarted rail operations.
“Regulatory investigations are ongoing and we are working with regulators to learn from this incident,” Basto concluded. “Our focus remains on the safety of our people and our operations.”