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Iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) says it will hand over documents that detail more than 30 allegations of sexual harassment to the workplace safety watchdog, but will redact names to protect employee privacy.
- It was revealed WorkSafe had charged FMG last Wednesday
- The company initially challenged WorkSafe's legal right to the information
- But on Monday the company announced it had sent redacted documents
WorkSafe last week charged the mining giant with 34 counts of refusing or failing to provide documents to an inspector amid an investigation into sexual harassment in the mining sector.
FMG defended its conduct at the time, saying it had been "working constructively" with WorkSafe for six months and did not believe there was a legal basis for the regulator to demand the information.
After the charges were laid, the company issued a statement on Thursday, saying it would "not be pushed into breaking the law or releasing the private information of our teammates without their knowledge and consent".
But the mining giant changed tack on Monday, saying the board had met to consider the charges.
In a statement, FMG said it would now submit the requested documents to Worksafe but "with the names of our people redacted to protect their identities".
"We will continue to work and collaborate with WorkSafe, as we always have, to ensure our people always feel safe to speak up," the statement said.
"The Board continues to be united in the approach we are taking, and the culture and values of the company have never been stronger."
It said it had met "at a very senior level" with the Department of Mines, Industry Safety and Regulation (DMIRS), of which WorkSafe is a division, to discuss the matter.
When contacted late this afternoon, a spokeswoman for WorkSafe said Commissioner Darren Kavanagh had not been informed of the decision by FMG.
"The Commissioner acknowledges FMG has indicated an interest in providing documents to Worksafe," the spokeswoman said.
"He will evaluate it when he receives the information."
FMG's initial stance appeared to have been at odds with the other major players in WA's mining sector, with Rio Tinto, BHP and Woodside all reportedly handing over documents concerning the reporting of sexual harassment on mines sites to WorkSafe upon request.
It follows a parliamentary inquiry into sexual misconduct in Western Australia's FIFO industry after widespread allegations of harassment and assault were aired in the media.
If WorkSafe proceeds with the charges, the company faces a maximum penalty of $55,000 for each charge, with a potential cumulative penalty of up to $1.87 million.