THE monitoring of firefighters battling a blaze at a Victorian coal mine was the largest health assessment at a fire in the world, and it has been declared a success by the state's fire chief.
Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said 7000 people were assessed during the 45-day fire at the Hazelwood mine and a project of this scale had not occurred anywhere else in the world.
Both CFA firefighters and workers employed by mine operator GDF Suez were hospitalised as a result of the fire.
An inquiry into the fire heard 23 WorkCover claims were lodged as a result of the blaze that started on February 9, meaning less than 0.003 per cent of assessments resulted in a claim.
"I'd say (it was) a very successful operation," Mr Lapsley told the inquiry on Friday.
However, he admitted the CFA should have been better prepared for what was a known risk at mine fires.
A report from a 2006 mine fire said carbon monoxide poisoning was a threat to firefighters and mine workers, yet a CFA plan for improving responses to carbon monoxide risks was never signed-off.
Counsel assisting the inquiry Peter Rozen said it seemed perplexing that a draft CFA operating procedure for dealing with mine fire health issues, dated April 2010, remained a draft for four years before the February 2014 blaze.
"The CFA was firmly on notice about this risk and the importance of having in place adequate protections for firefighters in the event of any future fire," Mr Rozen said.
"On a matter as significant as exposure of its employees to potential carbon monoxide poisoning in doing their job, it's not good enough is it, Mr Lapsley, that this was not a priority for the CFA for four years to implement an (standard operating procedure)."
Mr Lapsley said he accepted that.
"It has been debated within CFA whether it is sufficient to do the job... It is my observation that it should have been signed at an earlier date and published," Mr Lapsley said.
The mine fire shrouded Morwell in smoke and ash, forcing some residents to evacuate.
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