Death of 26-year-old at Liontown lithium project prompts safety probe
Work safety authorities are investigating the death of a 26-year-old tradesman at Liontown Resources’ flagship lithium project in Western Australia.
Alan Walsh died after a medical episode at the Kathleen Valley site in late September when New York-listed Albemarle was deep in due diligence around its indicative $6.6 billion takeover offer for the battery minerals producer.
Liontown made no public comment at the time and nor did it deem it necessary to make a statement to the ASX. It is understood that call was made on the basis that Mr Walsh had died of natural causes.
Mr Walsh died while working for a contracting firm helping to build the Kathleen Valley mine and processing plant about 60 kilometres south of Leinster in the northern Goldfields. Sources inside the mining industry said initial medical assessments at the site included whether heat and dehydration had been a factor in Mr Walsh’s death.
Liontown said on Friday that “a team member from one of our valued contractors tragically passed away on-site on September 28 after suffering what is understood to be a non-work-related medical episode”.
Mr Walsh’s death is also the subject of a coronial inquiry.
The 26-year-old from Ireland is being mourned by family and friends have raised money to meet the cost of sending his body home.
In response to questions from AFR Weekend, WorkSafe – part of the WA’s Department of Mines – said Mr Walsh’s death had been reported at the time and was still under investigation.
“Any workplace death reported to WorkSafe is investigated to assess whether the worker had been exposed to a hazard, including those related to heat or working in a hot environment,” acting WorkSafe commissioner Sally North said.
The maximum temperature at
Read more on afr.com
