Media Release

Solid Energy has temporarily suspended operations at its Ohai mining site in Southland due to safety concerns triggered by a vehicle incident yesterday morning.

Solid Energy Chief Operating Officer, Barry Bragg, says “the decision to close down operations following an incident like this is standard practice for the company and is consistent with the overriding principle of our business that safety comes first and is never, ever compromised by production.”

Solid Energy is carrying out an investigation into the incident yesterday morning in which a contractor’s loaded dump truck ran off a mine road. The operator was not hurt. Solid Energy has required the site contractor, STRACON, to carry out a full safety check of its mobile plant on the site. The site will remain closed until Solid Energy is satisfied that all vehicles and activities on the site are safe.