Safety review after close call with mine shaft

The West Coast Regional Council has reviewed its safety plans after a council worker survived a close encounter with an old goldmining shaft.

The near-miss happened in the western Paparoa area, south of Charleston and north of Fox River.

The pest control worker was walking out of the bush when he partially slipped feet first into the shaft as he walked around a tree. He saved himself by grabbing the tree and pulling himself out.

The mine shaft has since been cordoned off with tape and the location marked using GPS, council health and safety officer Kim Hibbs.

"The council's health and safety team have since worked through a desktop exercise in ways to identify and manage the risk of mine shafts in the bush."

The information had been used to review mine shafts in the council's risk register, Ms Hibbs said.

Lois Williams - Local democracy reporter