Mining giant convicted over worker's death

A mining giant has been found guilty of failing to protect the safety of a worker who was crushed to death by a scissor lift in a workshop.

The court found that the mining company had failed to provide instruction and supervision, and had failed to implement and enforce a suitable job hazard assessment, which led to the worker’s death in 2008. The company faces penalties of up to $400,000, with sentencing scheduled for March 19.

In early 2009, the company had its fifth fatality in nine months at its iron ore operations in a WA region and was forced to acknowledge change was needed.

“Of course, no fatality is ever acceptable, and senior management took that commitment extremely seriously and made a number of improvements across the business in this regard” The company commented in a statement.

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Source: The West Australian

Firm fined £60,000 after an employee's hair was ripped out by machinery

A company has been fined £60,000 after a young worker was severely injured when her hair was ripped out by poorly guarded machinery.

The 25-year-old was sorting clothes hangers on a conveyor when her scarf and hair became caught in the chain and sprocket drive of the belt as she bent over to remove accumulated hangers.

She sustained serious throat injuries, lost a substantial part of her hair and fractured a finger in the incident.

The firm had fitted a guard to the conveyor but it did not fully enclose the dangerous moving parts. There was no emergency stop button on the conveyor and the company's risk assessment failed to identify the dangers of entanglement in conveyors.

The company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay costs of £21,668.

HSE Inspector David Wynne said: "Employers must ensure that workers are properly monitored, supervised and trained when working with this sort of equipment."

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-w-mainetti.htm

Employees exposed to potentially deadly bacteria

A trust has been fined for safety failings after employees were exposed to a potentially deadly strain of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) bacteria when a test vial smashed in a specialist laboratory.

The HSE identified the following issues with the management and maintenance of the containment facility:
• Inadequate risk assessments for activities involving TB
• Critical control measures weren't examined, monitored, tested or maintained
• Poor emergency arrangements in the event of an incident
• Those responsible for health and safety were lacking appropriate training

The test vial containing a strain of TB bacteria smashed when it fell to the floor. Three employees were present and a fourth risked exposure when she helped with the clean up operation.

No-one suffered any adverse effects, but The Trust should also have better implemented appropriate and adequate control measures, and ensured that staff were suitably trained. The Trust was fined £12,500 and ordered to pay £25,000 in costs.

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-ldn-01013.htm

Employee injured after being flipped around a rotating roller

A fabric firm has been fined after an employee was badly injured when he was flipped around a large rotating roller.

The 39-year-old was trying to straighten a crease on a roll of fabric as it was being wound up when his clothes became caught in the mechanism. He was dragged around the roller three times, suffering cracked ribs and bruising to the side of his body.

There were no guards on the machine to prevent workers from accessing dangerous moving parts, and the emergency stop button nearest to where the employee was working was defective. The company had carried out an assessment which identified the risk of workers' clothes becoming entangled as a hazard, but it failed to act on this.

The company was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £3,600 in prosecution costs.

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-nw-flameproofingsltd.htm

Crushing fatality leads to $250,000 fine

A construction company working on upgrades to a highway has been fined $250,000 after one of its workers was crushed to death by a roller.

The 31-year-old labourer was on his second day on the job on a road upgrade project. He was helping to lay asphalt when a three-tonne multi-wheeled roller ran over him.

The worker was spraying the stationary roller when the operator accidentally released the brakes, causing the vehicle to lurch forward and roll over him.

A WorkCover investigation subsequently found the company failed to properly train or supervise the man.

NSW Finance Minister Greg Pearce says the fine is a reminder to maintain safety protocols.

"This tragedy could have been avoided had there been the right instruction and the vehicle properly maintained," He said in a statement.

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Source: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1727634/Company-fined-after-worker-fatally-crushed

Worker injured after crane collapse

A drilling company has been fined $170,000 after pleading guilty to an incident in which a falling gantry crane injured one man and narrowly missed several others working on a desalination pipeline project.

The company pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to ensure the safety of workers, and was also ordered to pay $2787.52 in costs.

The incident occurred when the company was dismantling a specially designed gantry crane from a pipeline site. A director instructed workers to remove the pins on the portal legs of the crane before the gantry crane’s weight was supported by the mobile crane.

As the pins were being removed, the gantry crane collapsed. A worker on the crane rode it down and was thrown heavily to the ground.

The injured worker suffered shoulder, back, leg and other injuries. He has lost range of movement in one arm and continues to suffer pain as a result of the incident.

WorkSafe’s General Manager of Health and Safety Operations, Lisa Sturzenegger, said “This prosecution serves as a timely reminder that safety must always be a top priority on any work site. As we are getting into a busy time of year for many employers and employees, we want everyone to take extra care at work.”

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Source: http://www.worksafenews.com.au/news/item/280-company-fined-$170,000-over-crane-collapse.html

Machine safety - The focus of WorkSafe's latest campaign

An image of a man with his hand trapped in a mincer has gone up on billboards around Victoria, as part of the latest stage in a major campaign by WorkSafe to warn employers and employees of the risk associated with dangerous machines.

According to the latest WorkSafe statistics, in Victoria:
* 6 workers are maimed every day
* 7 workers suffer an amputation every month
* 11 workers suffer a laceration every week

In the last 5 years, almost 11,000 workers have suffered injuries such as amputations and lacerations caused by dangerous machines, leading to a $220 million bill for medical treatment, rehabilitation and income support. Of the 11,000 injuries, 71% occurred in manufacturing, construction, transport, warehousing and storage industries.

“If a machine is used to mix, move or stamp, then it can cut, crush or amputate,” WorkSafe’s Health and Safety Operations General Manager, Lisa Sturzenegger said.

Over the next year, WorkSafe inspectors will be upping the ante on employers to control dangerous machines by ensuring they are properly guarded, have emergency controls in place and train and supervise their workers properly.

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Source: http://www.worksafenews.com.au/news/item/279-don-t-mince-around-with-machines.html

Waste management firm fined after 2 workers injured within a week

A waste management firm has admitted neglecting the safety of its workforce after 2 men were injured within just a week.

The first incident happened when site workers were setting up a waste sorting machine for use. One worker climbed on to its front conveyor belt and kneeled down to clear a blockage, while his co-worker thought he had gone to fetch something and started up the machine. He was propelled along the belt and dropped ten feet. He suffered fractures to his foot and skin and nerve damage.

The second incident occurred when a worker was helping to restart a Jaw Crusher machine. He saw some wire tangled in a magnetic belt roller and went to pull it free. The machine suddenly restarted and the wire was pulled back into the rollers along with the worker’s left forearm. He sustained crush injuries to his forearm.

The company had failed to implement simple measures that would have prevented both incidents and had ignored earlier warnings by the Health and Safety Executive about the lack of a safe system of work.

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-yh-19212.htm?eban=rss-

Staff at a food manufacturer speak publicly about years of alleged workplace bullying

Almost half the staff at an inner-city gourmet food manufacturer have spoken out about alleged extreme workplace bullying. The staff took the unusual step of speaking publicly about the alleged bullying because they hoped doing so would help their situation.

18 staff out of 38 accused their employer of allowing bullying to go unchecked despite numerous complaints, including allowing a senior staff member to:
■Regularly scream at them & make sexual comments.
■Tell workers they needed to give 48 hours' notice if they wanted to take sick days.
■Demand staff work overtime, without any notice.
■Tell any casual worker who became full time they must ''celebrate'' by buying lunch for the entire workplace, or buying a supervisor a gift.
■Keep the wages of some employees for up to 8 weeks.
■Pressure most staff to pay her - in cash - 10% of a backpay payment.

The case will throw a spotlight on laws passed last year that were aimed at tackling workplace bullying.

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Source: http://www.theage.com.au/small-business/staff-at-food-plant-allege-years-of-extreme-bullying-20121007-277dc.html

Company fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for safety violations

The OSHA has cited a company with 28 serious safety violations for exposing workers to "struck-by," fall, amputation and shock hazards while they were manufacturing airport passenger boarding bridges. Proposed penalties total $172,000.

The violations involve failing to regularly inspect overhead cranes, hooks and slings; rate or inspect devices used for lifting; provide machine guarding for a press brake and belt sander; ensure that exits are not blocked and are properly marked; provide fall protection such as harnesses and guardrails; train workers on lockout/tagout procedures for the control of energy sources; and provide strain relief for flexible electrical cords.

"This company exposed workers to serious safety hazards that could cause amputations or electrocutions," said Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in Fort Worth. "OSHA will not tolerate an employer's disregard for workplace safety."

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Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23085

Fines of $162,400 proposed for New Jersey company cited with 18 health and safety violations

A New Jersey company is facing fines of up to $162,400 after it was cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration with 18 alleged safety and health violations at the company's warehouse.

Citations have been issued for two willful violations that involve permitting employees to ride on the forks of forklifts and a failure to provide fall protection on platforms. Other violations include locked or sealed emergency exit doors, improperly labelled doors, the improper storage of liquid propane tanks, unsafe material storage, exposing employees to live electrical parts, failing to implement a hazard communication program and failing to provide training or material safety data sheets to employees handling hazardous chemicals.

"These violations reflect the company's lax attitude toward workplace safety and health," said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA's Area Office. "Without the proper safeguards in place, employees are vulnerable to accidents that can cause injuries and even death."  

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Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23013

Company fined after worker suffers severe hand injuries from a badly-guarded machine

A company has been fined for safety breaches after a worker suffered severe injuries to his hand when it was trapped in a badly-guarded laminating machine.

The 36-year-old agency worker had his left hand drawn into the rollers as he was feeding paper through the machine. His little and ring fingers were left hanging off and his middle finger was lacerated down its entire length. He was in hospital for four days and needed two operations.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Mark Welsh said: "Being drawn into machines because of inadequate guarding - and even a total absence of guarding - happens far too regularly in manufacturing industries. In this case the guarding was insufficient as it didn't prevent access to the drawing-in/crush hazard between the pairs of rollers or the roller and plasterboard."

“The company hadn't properly identified the risks to its workers from the rollers. The importance of robust safeguards to protect workers from getting too close to dangerous moving machinery cannot be overstated."

For more information on this occupational health and safety news, visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-yh-16412.htm

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Workplace bullying laws need reform, experts and unions claim

Unions and experts have urged the government to make sweeping reforms to workplace bullying laws, arguing the current system prolongs victims’ pain.
- After finishing public hearings in August, a parliamentary committee will deliver its report to the Workplace Relations Minister by November 30.
- The ACTU has called for tougher penalties and a more accessible forum to quickly and cheaply resolve bullying complaints.
- The Law Institute of Victoria argues there should be a “quick, cost effective civil remedy through a tribunal for bullying in the workplace”.
- Employers need more certainty surrounding changes to unfair dismissal laws so that they are not in a catch-22 situation when it comes to sacking staff for bullying, says Daniel Mammone, the workplace policy director at the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
- Employers have told the bullying inquiry existing laws provide sufficient protection for victims.

For more information on this workplace safety and HR news, visit: http://www.afr.com/p/national/work_space/bullying_laws_need_reforms_experts_UZD6NPVBVvmYkeAD56dHUK

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Manufacturer fined after worker suffers severe hand injuries

A manufacturer has been fined for safety failings after an employee seriously injured his hand when it became trapped in machinery. The employee was left with a severe burn to his left hand and a crush injury to his thumb as a result of the incident.

The company was prosecuted by the HSE after an investigation found there was no guarding on the machine to prevent employees' hands being trapped. The company pleaded guilty to a breach of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 by failing to carry out an assessment of the risks employees faced while using the machine. The company was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £3,518 in prosecution costs.

For more information on this workplace safety news, visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-nw-leyrubber.htm

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Energy company scraps urine testing for drugs and alcohol

Unions have welcomed a decision by Endeavour Energy to stop urine testing its employees for drugs and alcohol, and instead introduce saliva-based testing.
- The NSW electricity retailer has written to staff advising them that they've accepted a Fair Work Australia ruling against the regime and will not lodge any further appeals.
- “The decision has transformational potential when it comes to [the] development of a universal Australian standard for testing” - The Fire Brigade Employees Union state secretary.
- “Other industries and unions are likely to review this decision and look at ways they can implement a more transparent, fair and reasonable testing regime in the form of oral swab testing” - United Services Union energy manager.

For more information on this workplace safety news, visit: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8528236

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Workplace bullying could be criminalised throughout Australia

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has backed a national version of workplace bullying laws introduced in Victoria last year, which criminalise serious workplace bullying. Under the changes, workplace bullies can face up to 10 years jail time. The Victorian law, also known as “Brodie’s Law” was established after the tragic suicide of 19-year-old Brodie Panlock, a waitress who faced relentless taunts and abuse at work.

In May 2012, Ms Gillard announced a national review into workplace bullying, which will assess the nature, causes and degree of workplace bullying. ''One way we could add to what we're doing now is to take Brodie's law nationally and to have a common national law to deal with bullying in the workplace,'' Ms Gillard said.

What impact does bullying have on your workplace?
According to the Australian Productivity Commission, workplace bullying costs employers and the Australian economy between $6 billion and $36 billion per year.

Employers are responsible for helping to prevent bullying and harassing behaviour in the workplace. It is in their interests to make it clear to everyone that such behaviour will not be tolerated. The costs to the business may include poor employee relations, low morale, inefficiency and potentially the loss of staff. Training all staff about the standards of behaviour expected can make it easier for all individuals to be fully aware of their responsibilities to others.

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Sources: The Sydney Morning Herald Safe to Work