20 August 2026

Nine Years LTI-Free: A Safety Milestone for Mannion Drilling at Narrabri Coal Operations

Mannion Drilling has reached an impressive safety milestone at Whitehaven’s Narrabri Coal Operations (NCO), with nine years of drilling activities completed without a Lost Time Injury (LTI). 

For more than two decades, Manion Drilling has supported operations at NCO, delivering preconditioning drilling, exploration drilling, monitoring holes and breakthrough service bores in support of safe and efficient mine operations. Over the past nine years, the team has drilled approximately 200,000 metres and completed around 2,500 shifts without an LTI. 

Today, Manion Drilling operates two drill rigs at NCO with around 6-10 crew members on site, though many more have contributed to projects at Narrabri over the years. 

“The milestone is the result of a strong safety culture built on leadership commitment, employee engagement and consistent risk management practices,” Managing Director, Jason Mannion said. 

“Key contributors to the achievement include proactive hazard identification, thorough risk assessments, regular training, and open reporting of hazards and near misses. Maintaining an LTI-free workplace over many years also comes down to mutual trust, clear communication and a consistent focus on safety while delivering reliable outcomes for our partners at Whitehaven.” 

Whitehaven’s Manager, Surface Operations at NCO, Ashley Howland, welcomed the achievement. 

“While we are proud to celebrate this milestone, safety is an ongoing journey. Together, we remain focused on continuous improvement, strengthening our systems and ensuring every person goes home safely at the end of each day. 

“We would like to thank Mannion Drilling for the excellence they bring to site every day, which has led to this exceptional result.”

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