Thursday, November 22, 2012

2 companies fined after crane collapsed on building site

Two companies have been fined after a serious failure in communications led to an 80 tonne mobile crane toppling over, narrowly missing workmen and a busy road.

The incident happened on a building site during construction of a new nursing home. The crane was supplied and operated by another company but confusion arose as to whether the job had been set up as a crane hire only or contract hire basis. Planning of the lift was neglected by both firms and led to vital roles for the job not being assigned.

The lift itself was carried out unsafely as the crane was overloaded and being operated on poor ground. As a result the 80-tonne crane overturned and its extended 50 metre jib fell. A lift plan should have been drawn-up by the competent person and communicated to those involved in the work.

The principal contractor was fined £16,000 and the other company was fined £10,000.

HSE inspector Kathy Gostick said: “Good communications between all those involved in crane operations and all other construction activities is vital to ensure lifting operations are properly planned, particularly those involving the use of heavy mobile cranes working in a busy area such as a construction site.”

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

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

Monday, November 19, 2012

Concrete company prosecuted after worker hit by forklift truck

A concrete firm has been prosecuted after a worker suffered serious leg injuries when he was hit by a forklift truck.

The 38-year-old was responsible for removing excess concrete from moulds at a factory. He was putting concrete in a bucket and then onto the prongs of the forklift, when he was struck by the vehicle.

He suffered multiple foot fractures, needed four screws in his broken ankle and also hurt his knee. The firm was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,897.

The Health and Safety Executive found there was a written instruction in the factory stating the bucket should be not be placed directly on the forks. This had not been translated into Polish for the benefit of the migrant labour the company employed, like the injured worker.

HSE inspector Katharine Walker said: "The company had allowed an unsafe custom and practice to develop. There was no effective segregation of vehicles and pedestrians and the means of transporting the waste concrete was bound to bring the two into contact.”

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-wm-17212.htm?eban=rss-

Worker receives compensation for injuries sustained on his day off

A flight attendant with a major airline has won a landmark legal case that could affect hundreds of workers who are injured while travelling for job-related reasons on days off.

The Industrial Court President found:
• The worker was injured in a traffic accident the day before he was due to renew his US Visa.
• The airline required him to renew his Visa in his own time, booked his early morning appointment and paid for his early morning flight.
• His employment was "a significant contributing factor" to his injuries and he was entitled to compensation.
• The nature and terms of his employment and the decisions of the airline caused the worker to be in traffic when and where he was injured.

The worker’s lawyer, Greg Black, said the decision could protect other workers whose employers required them to travel in their own time to renew work-related licences or visas or meet job conditions.

Source: The Australian
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Friday, November 16, 2012

Firm prosecuted for unsafe scaffolding

The lives of several construction workers were put at risk as they worked on unsafe scaffolding at a farm.

The men were spotted working on a barn conversion during a series of on-the-spot inspections carried out by the Health and Safety Executive, and the inspector immediately served a Prohibition Notice ordering the men to come down.

Workers were seen on scaffolding platforms with numerous missing guard rails, deck boards and toe boards to prevent them falling. The company was prosecuted for failing to take sufficient measures to prevent workers being injured in a fall and fined £5,000.

HSE Inspector Anthony Polec said: "Work at height is one of the biggest causes of workplace deaths in the UK, with dozens of fatal injuries every year. It’s therefore vital that construction companies do all they can to protect their workers."

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-nw-ribble-valley.htm?eban=rss-

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

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Defence company ordered to pay £376,000 for safety failings that caused a fatal explosion

A defence company has been ordered to pay £376,000 for safety failings that caused a fatal explosion at its factory.

A 37-year-old worker was killed from injuries sustained in the blast. He was emptying industrial ovens that contained high levels of nitroglycerin (NG) that exploded, destroying the factory building.

The company had realized in 2004 that their process for curing pellets as part of the production of military flares produced the explosive chemical as a by-product. None of the company's management team were competent to deal with the issue, and they did not seek external assistance.

Their failure to properly assess and manage the risks put workers and the public in danger. A second explosion occurred in 2008 when the company attempted to dismantle the remaining NG contaminated oven.

HSE inspector Qamar Khan said: "Both explosions were foreseeable and preventable had the company sought and taken appropriate advice and implemented the correct measures."

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-se-20412.htm?eban=rss-

$50,000 fine for construction company following worker's fall

A construction company has been fined $50,000 in the Industrial Court after a labourer was seriously injured when he fell through a floor opening. The 54-year-old worker was moving building materials at a 22-unit residential development when he fell through an exhaust hole.

In falling 4m onto concrete he suffered severe head injuries, tissue damage and bruising, and needed emergency surgery to relieve pressure on his brain caused by a haemorrhage.

An investigation by WorkCover NSW found a lack of safety procedures led to the fall, including a failure to cover or barricade the exhaust hole.

A carpentry company and its director have also been fined a total of $125,000 over the incident, and WorkCover is pursuing prosecutions against other companies and individuals, with six matters still before the court.

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Source: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/50000-fine-for-fall-injuries-20121113-29afv.html#ixzz2CEoRN6xu

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Aerospace company prosecuted after worker’s eyes burnt with caustic soda

An aerospace company has been fined for safety failings after a worker injured his eye whilst cleaning out a tank containing caustic soda.

The 39-year-old sustained a chemical burn to his eyelid and inside his tear duct after flicking sodium hydroxide crystals into his face. He required emergency treatment at hospital.

The employee was standing in a tank containing a solid crystalline material composed largely of sodium hydroxide. Whilst chipping away at the material, his protective mask misted up and as he took it off to clean the visor, some caustic crystals flicked onto his eye lid.

The worker was not only exposed to risks from working with a hazardous material, but could also have fallen into the storage tank. The company was fined £17,000 and ordered to pay £3,246 in costs.

Health and Safety Executive Inspector Vicky Fletcher commented: “The company failed to adequately assess the risks and failed to provide adequate control measures to ensure the job could be done safely.”

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

Food processing company fined after worker's finger amputated

A food processing company has been fined $10,000 over an incident which led to the amputation of a worker’s finger.

The worker was operating a mincing machine that had a hopper at the top where meat was fed to be minced. He started the machine and climbed onto a stepladder to check the amount of meat going down the hopper. Upon noticing that the meat was only going half way down he pushed the meat down using his hand. His finger got stuck in the mincing area and was injured, requiring amputation.

WorkSafe Acting Director Ian Munns said the case was a disappointing example of an employer’s failure to provide workers with sufficient protection from moving parts of machinery.

“Subsequent to this incident, the employer installed a safe system of work for this mincer that cost less than $3000 – far less than the total $11,548 the company ended up paying in a fine and costs.

“Many workers have been seriously injured when machinery they were working on has been activated. Guarding of the dangerous moving parts of machinery is such a basic and easy precaution to take, and it’s disappointing that we continue to see cases where these simple measures are not taken.”

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Source: Safety Culture - OHS news

Monday, November 5, 2012

Food poisoning case leads to $12,000 fine

The former director of a bakery has been fined more than $12,000 over an outbreak of salmonella poisoning.

The NSW Food Authority successfully prosecuted the former director of a Bakehouse over a foodborne illness outbreak, which saw 83 people fall ill with salmonella food poisoning, of which 20 were hospitalised.

The former director was found guilty of 4 charges including; selling unsafe food, unsafe handling of raw egg products, unclean equipment and the failure to ensure food handlers had adequate skills and knowledge about food safety.

NSW Food Authority CEO Polly Bennett said the prosecution "sends a clear message to all retail food outlets that you will face enforcement action, and in some cases, prosecution, if you breach the Food Standards Code."

"It is the responsibility of every food business to ensure that the food they serve is safe to eat. The charge of failing to ensure adequate knowledge and skills of food handlers is an important reminder that competent food handlers play an important role in preventing outbreaks of foodborne illness."

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Source: http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au/food/news/$12-000-fine-over-sydney-food-poisoning-case

Salad company prosecuted after worker fell over 4m

A salad company has been sentenced for safety breaches after a worker fell more than 4m through a greenhouse roof.

The 44-year-old was cleaning and repainting greenhouse gutters when he lost his footing and fell through the glass roof. He broke his wrist and needed 20 staples across a head wound before being released from hospital after an overnight stay.

The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted the firm for failing to protect its workforce against the risk of falls. The company was fined £12,500 with £3,921 in costs.

The worker was one of a team of employees tasked with working on the gutters of 20 greenhouses at the firm's 30-acre site. The team were told to walk heel to toe along the gutters and to use a long-handled brush to steady themselves against the glazing bars. No equipment was provided and no instruction given to protect them against a fall.

The worker had cleaned some guttering and returned to the ground to collect his brush and paint. He climbed back up and had completed a short length of paintwork when his right foot went through the glass and he fell through the fragile roof.

HSE Inspector Andrew Gale said: "This case highlights how important it is for employers to identify the risks involved in working at height, particularly near fragile materials, and taking the necessary steps to reduce those risks and prevent falls.

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-yh-20112.htm

Friday, November 2, 2012

Worker loses 2 fingers in vegetable slicer

A company has been ordered to pay more than $50,000 after an employee had two fingers chopped off in a vegetable slicer.

The company was found guilty of failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace and, by that failure, causing the employee serious harm. The company was fined $40,000 and ordered to pay $12,000 in costs.

The business produced ready-made salads for supply to supermarkets and contained several machines to cut and slice the produce, one of which was a belt slicer. An employee was operating the machine and wanted to clear some vegetable matter from the chamber.

He hit the emergency stop button and put his hand into the chamber, not knowing that the emergency stop button and interlock were not functioning because of a fault in the electrical relay.

The blades were still spinning when he put his hand in and two of his fingers were amputated to the middle knuckle.

WorkSafe acting executive director Ian Munns said the case illustrated how important it was to have lock-out and tagging procedures at workplaces with machinery. "It's never safe to leave any piece of machinery operational while doing repairs or performing maintenance" he said.

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Source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2012/11/01/20/20/40-000-fine-for-finger-slice-accident

2 companies sentenced over worker's permanent injuries

A building company and a decorating firm have been fined after a worker suffered multiple injuries when he plummeted more than 7m through a skylight.

The incident happened when the worker was painting the roof on an industrial unit. He stepped on to a fragile skylight which shattered and he fell through to the concrete floor below.

The 36-year-old broke his leg, hip, pelvis, wrist and elbow. He also sustained head injuries and lacerations to his face. The father-of-five was in hospital for 3 weeks where he underwent extensive surgery.

The sub-contractor failed to properly assess the risks involved in doing the job. As a result it didn't get a safe system of work in place. The principal contractor made very little effort to ensure the sub-contractors were competent and monitor the work being undertaken.

The injured worker said: "This has turned my life upside down. All of a sudden everyday things that you take for granted can't be done any more.”

Health and Safety Executive inspector Sam Russell said: "Work at height is a high risk activity and steps should have been taken to identify those risks and mitigate against them.”

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-em-16212.htm

Construction worker survives lightning strike

One man was struck directly by lighting while another was knocked to the ground by the impact of the lightening strike at a construction worksite.

“Both the injured men were attended by paramedics at the scene and taken to South Hedland Medical Campus for further treatment” The company said in a statement.

“One has left hospital after being treated for a minor neck injury. The other man, aged 24, suffered burns to five percent of his body. He is well and stable and will remain in hospital for monitoring for the next two days.”

The two injured men were part of a five-man crew and were about to leave the work site after witnessing lightning in the area. An investigation into the incident is underway.

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Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/pilbara-worker-survives-lightning-strike-second-man-injured/story-fndo486p-1226506800721