The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union has intensified the call for a Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into mine safety after yet another rock fall last night at the BHP Billiton Perseverance Nickel Mine at Leinster.

The AMWU received a tip off this morning regarding the incident which occurred after another seismic event measuring just over 2 on the richter scale hit the mine.

The cave-in resulted in a driller being trapped underground for a number of hours. All staff are now out from underground but the underground section of the mine is believed to be closed today.

While the driller is apparently uninjured, it is understood that at least one mobile maintenance employee who was near the rock fall at the time of the incident has had to receive medical treatment for back injuries sustained from being near the rock fall.

AMWU State Secretary, Steve McCartney, said this latest incident adds to the long string of safety problems at BHP mines.

The Union has been told that at a meeting this morning, underground mining and maintenance staff were told by Management there would be no media release pertaining to this accident and they were not to talk to anyone from outside BHP.

"BHP's atrocious safety record must be urgently examined before more deaths and injuries take place at their mines," said AMWU State Secretary, Steve McCartney.

"There has long been a culture of cover up at BHP sites and it's time there was an open independent investigation into their safety record.

With the State Government unwilling to act against BHP, the Union has been gathering signatures to petition the Federal Parliament to hold an inquiry into safety practices at BHP mines.

"We've given up on the State Government doing anything to protect the safety of WA workers so we're appealing to the Federal Government to do the job.

"An independent inquiry is urgently needed to investigate why these tragic events happen on BHP mine sites and to recommend what needs to be done to guarantee the safety of BHP workers," said Mr McCartney.

To download a copy of the petition, please click here.