Manufacturing company facing $369,000 in fines for 26 health and safety violations

A manufacturing company is facing up to $369,000 in fines after being cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration with 26 health and safety violations. Workers at the company’s facility were exposed to machine guarding, lead and electrical hazards.

The health and safety violations

The violations include failing to:
- Train workers to recognize electrical hazards
- Identify fire extinguishers
- Provide machine guarding
- Store respirators correctly
- Provide appropriate PPE and require its use.

Nick Walters, OSHA's regional director in Chicago, said: "When an employer is cited for repeat violations, it shows a lack of commitment to protecting the safety and health of workers. OSHA will not tolerate such negligence."

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Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23724

Manufacturing company cited for workplace safety hazards

A manufacturer of roof insulation panels is facing $123,000 in fines, following an Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection at the firm’s production plant.

The company was cited for various hazards, which included deficiencies in the plant's emergency response, confined space and hazardous energy control programs, lack of personal protective equipment, and fall and respirator hazards.

The plant’s process safety management program also had deficiencies, such as missing process safety information and failing to develop and implement safe work practices.

Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York said:
"One method of enhancing workers' safety is for an employer to develop and maintain an effective illness and injury prevention program in which management and employees work together to identify and prevent hazardous conditions."

Source: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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Workplace death at factory after machine falls from forklift

A metal manufacturer has been sentenced after an employee was killed when a machine weighing half-a-tonne fell from a forklift truck.

The 25-year-old was walking alongside the forklift when the machine fell and struck him on the head. The company had been moving machines into a bigger workshop at the factory. During one move, a machine became unstable and fell, resulting in the worker’s death.

The company had only recently taken over the factory and a health and safety audit had not been carried out. The company had not planned the work in advance so that the machine could be moved safely.

The firm, which went into administration in 2011, was found guilty because it failed to ensure the safety of its employees. The company received a nominal fine of £1.

Source: The Health and Safety Executive

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Electrical apprentice suffers electric shock at building site

An electrical apprentice suffered an electric shock at an apartment site in Canberra last week.

Early investigations suggested the fourth-year apprentice was working alone on a platform ladder and was shocked by a live circuit that she believed had been switched off.

"It's supposed to be turned off and when it is, it should be tagged so that no one else turns it back on" said Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe.

The government's inquiry into health and safety laws on ACT building sites found the ACT had the worst record for construction site safety in Australia with one in every 40 workers expected to sustain a serious injury on the job each year.

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Source: The Canberra Times

Worker's serious injuries lead to £7,000 fine for labels company

A labels company has been fined for a safety breach after a worker sustained a serious hand injury when it was caught between two contra rotating rollers on a working machine.

The employee severed the first finger of his right hand to the second knuckle and broke his middle finger in the incident.

He was attempting to clean a coating roller on a finishing machine, and had removed the roller several times to make adjustments and clean away dried on primer. He then tried to brush off the dried primer from the roller while it was in situ on the working machine, but his right hand was caught and pulled between two rollers.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive established that the machine was missing suitable guarding, and had been for some time. Had a guard been fitted the incident would have been avoided.

The company was fined £7,000 and ordered to pay £5,637 in costs after pleading guilty.

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-se-00313.htm?eban=rss-

OSHA cites company with 5 violations after worker is struck by forklift

OSHA cited a firm with five safety violations after a worker was injured when struck by a forklift. The complaint inspection has resulted in proposed penalties of $89,000.

"Employers are responsible for ensuring workers are properly trained in the operation of equipment and that equipment, such as forklifts, are maintained in good working order," said Kim Nelson, area director for OSHA in Toledo.

A willful violation was cited for failing to remove unsafe forklifts from service. Three serious violations were cited for failing to complete forklift inspections, retrain workers in forklift operations following an incident where an injury occurred and operate a forklift in a safe manner.

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Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23520

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

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

Building maintenance firm prosecuted after employee loses leg

A building maintenance firm has been sentenced after one of its employees lost a leg when he was run over by a cherry picker at a nuclear site.

An investigation found there had not been a safe system of work for the task, and relevant training had not been provided. The 62-year-old had been standing close to the front of the cherry picker when it ran over his left leg, which later had to be amputated.

The company was fined £65,000 and ordered to pay £8,162 in prosecution costs.

The investigating HSE inspector, Faye Wingfield, said:
"The worker has suffered a terrible injury that will affect him for the rest of his life due to failings of his employer. If the risk assessment decided someone was needed to escort the vehicle then a safe system of work needed to be devised. Employees should also have been given appropriate training."

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

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

2012 WorkSafe Awards Finalists Announced

Finalists for the 24th annual WorkSafe Victoria Awards have been announced following a record number of entries in 2012.

The awards attracted 286 entries from across Victoria, with 35 finalists from a range of industries and workplaces chosen across nine categories, representing safety, health and wellbeing and return to work.

WorkSafe Acting Chief Executive Ian Forsyth said that the strong interest in the awards demonstrated the value Victorian employers and workers place on making workplaces safe and supporting people who are injured at work. “Through their efforts, [the finalists] are not only improving the health and safety of their colleagues, but helping make Victoria a safer state in which to work."

"Victoria has Australia’s safest workplaces, recording a record low injury rate for 2011/12, and its employers pay the lowest premiums for workplace injury insurance; however this will only continue if high safety standards are maintained.”

Winners will be announced at an awards presentation on 1 November, during Work Safe Week.

For more information about the WorkSafe Awards, to view the finalists’ and their entries or to register to attend the free awards presentation, visit www.worksafeawards.com.au

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Source: http://www.worksafenews.com.au/component/k2/item/258-worksafe-awards-finalists-announced.html

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

$97,500 fine for rat and cockroach infested take-away restaurant

A takeaway restaurant in Sydney was fined $97,500 after health inspectors found dead rats in the kitchen, a cockroach infestation and "accumulated grime".

The owners of the business pleaded guilty to 13 counts of failing to comply with the Food Standards Code. The council asked the Magistrate to hand down a strong penalty against the operators that would deter other food business owners who put public health at risk.

“The defendant company has placed members of the public at a greater risk of injury, illness, serious disease or death purely for commercial gain” The City said in documents handed to the court.

"The outcome of this case should serve as a warning to food businesses who don’t follow the rules and who put people’s health at risk" City of Sydney chief executive officer Monica Barone said.

For more information on this hospitality and food safety news, visit: Hospitality Magazine - $97,500 fine for rat and roach-infested Sydney take-away

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Source: http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au/food/news/$97-500-fine-for-rat-and-roach-infested-sydney-tak

Electric shock sparks $10,000 fine

An electrical contractor has copped a $10,000 fine after a worker suffered an electric shock and was thrown backwards while working on a drilling rig in Eneabba.

The drilling contractor received the electric shock when a drilling rig mast came into contact with high voltage power lines on a site in the State's north in May 2006.

Earlier this week, Jeremy Paul Blakiston Fowler (who was then trading as Electro Power Services) was fined in the Perth Magistrate's Court after he pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the workplace was safe.

In May 2006, Western Power had contacted Outback Power Services to perform works and build a voltage regulator at Eneabba.

Electro Power Services had then been contracted by Outback Power to supervise drilling works to be performed by a drilling contractor.

On May 17, Mr Fowler and the drilling contractor were engaged in drilling holes with a drilling rig underneath power lines.

The position in which the drilling contractor chose to place the rig required him to raise the mast very close to the power lines.

In repositioning the rig, the left-hand outrigger was raised and the mast tilted towards the power lines.

The then mast touched the power lines and the drilling contractor received an electric shock and was thrown backwards from the drilling rig.

The court was told that no formal pre-start meeting had been held before the work started, and that the drilling contractor was not given any directions for the work - with the exception of where the holes were required to be placed.

Mr Fowler also had not checked whether the power lines were live.

The court ruled he was the person in control of the workplace, and was responsible for the drilling contractor's safety.

"Over the past five years, 17 Western Australians have died as a result of electrocution," WorkSafe WA commissioner Nina Lyhne said.

"Electricity is one of WorkSafe's operational priority areas, and a lot of time and resources are directed towards lessening the toll and educating people on how to work safely with electricity."

March 6, 2009

Source: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/electric-shock-sparks-10000-fine-20090305-8per.html

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Stone company fined after worker crushed to death

A Perth company has been fined $60,000 after one of its workers was crushed by a 217kg stone slab.

D'Amelio Stone, which imports and processes stone, and its director Nicola D'Amelio were handed the penalty after pleading guilty in the Perth Magistrates Court to failing to provide a safe working environment.

The charges arose from the death of the 43-year-old worker at the company's Wangara premises in March 2007. 

The man and a co-worker were trying to move the slab from a storage shed to a workshop with the help of a forklift when the accident happened.

The man held the slab vertically while his co-worker removed a slab behind it. It was usual practice at D'Amelio for workers to manually tilt the slabs while they were clamped and lifted by forklift.

However the slab fell towards the worker holding it, crushing him between it and other slabs in a rack behind him.

WorkSafe acting executive director John Innes said "it could not reasonably be considered" that D'Amelio engaged in safe work practices by having workers hold a 217kg slab upright manually.

The company later changed its work practices, but was aware of the way the slabs were moved and did nothing "until it was too late", Mr Innes said.

March 9, 2009

Source: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/stone-company-fined-after-worker-crushed-to-death-20090309-8sw7.html

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