Employee pinned to the ground in workplace safety accident

A female worker was injured in a workplace accident when a lifting device fell from the back of a truck and onto her.

The incident 


The incident occurred when a driver was transporting goods to a customer’s premises. An employee of the customer was using a lifting device under the driver’s instructions, when an object began to roll backwards off the truck and pinned the employee to the ground. The employee suffered serious injuries including broken ribs, a fractured skull and spinal injuries.

The court heard that the driver had not received training in the use of the lifting device. The company was fined $60,000 and ordered to pay costs of $7673. Worksafe WA Commissioner Lex McCulloch said that this case should remind companies how important it is to train employees on safe machine operation.

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Source: Safe to Work

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 safety breaches by manufacturing company led to workplace death

A textile manufacturer was ordered to pay over £115,000 for workplace safety breaches that led to the death of a worker.

The deceased, a 61-year-old forklift truck operator, was crushed and killed by a falling stack of rag bales. The workplace accident occurred at the firm’s warehouse, when the top two bales, which weighed more than 300kg, struck the worker on the head.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the manufacturing company had stacked the rag bales unsafely and had failed to put effective measures in place to control the pedestrian activities around the warehouse.

Health and Safety Exectuive inspector Geoff Fletcher said:
"This tragic incident could have been avoided had [the company] taken its duty of care toward its employees sufficiently seriously. The sad consequence of the company's failures is an unnecessary loss of life and the devastating impact this has had on [the worker’s] partner, family and friends.”

Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-yh-3713.htm

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New study on social media in the workplace

A new international study suggests that colleagues posting embarrassing photos of one another on social media sites is contributing to a widespread breakdown of workplace privacy.

Co-workers using social media sites to make unwanted romantic advances is also said to be blurring the distinction between work and home life.

The findings are based on surveys with 4000 social media users in 10 countries, and were published by internet security firm AVG Technologies.

"This study highlights the need for a combination of greater education around social media, alongside increased attention and care by both employees and employers to their social media etiquette at work," the company said.

Key findings among Australian respondents include:
• 6/10 said social media sites have eroded their expectation of privacy at work
• 1/10 said they have had embarrassing photos or videos taken at a work event and uploaded on to social media sites
• 9/10 believed sending unpleasant or defamatory remarks to or about a colleague using digital communications constituted cyber-bullying
• Employees raised concerns about managers discovering embarrassing or incriminating information on social media sites

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Source: The Australian and Smart Company

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

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

Two companies fined for exposing workers to asbestos

Workers were exposed to dangerous asbestos fibres following a catalogue of errors by an engineering company and a building firm during a demolition and refurbishment project.

The project was badly managed, with untrained staff put in charge of the operation, and was underpinned by inadequate surveys for the presence of asbestos and poor planning throughout.

The engineering firm contracted the construction company to renovate a building. The engineering firm had two asbestos management surveys for the site, which, although later deemed to be inadequate, identified the presence of asbestos material. Despite this, work was allowed to begin in the building.

The building company failed to appoint a competent Construction, Design and Management co-ordinator and principal contractor to plan and manage the construction work. They also failed to provide a proper assessment of the presence of asbestos and its condition in the building before work started.

The building company was fined a total of £16,000 and ordered to pay £3,287 in costs, and the engineering firm was fined £8,000 with costs of £2,000.

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

Instrument company fined over worker's exposure to hazardous chemicals

An instrument company and a health and safety consultant have been fined for risking the health of employees from hazardous chemicals.

A 36-year-old paint sprayer suffered irritation to his eyes, breathing difficulties, headaches and lost the ability to concentrate after working with harmful substances.

His job was to prepare and paint small components for scientific instruments, which involved working with chemicals including trichloroethylene, a powerful de-greaser used to clean metal before it is painted, and paints containing isocyanates.

An investigation found that the company did not provide suitable equipment to adequately remove the hazardous fumes from the workplace, especially where items were left to dry. The company also failed to provide employees with the necessary health surveillance for workers using hazardous substances.

The company was fined £9,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £2,852 after pleading guilty.

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

Forklift failures lead to fine for company that supplies stones

A company has been fined for failing to keep a forklift truck in good working order, which posed a danger to workers.

The company supplies stone in flexible large bags that hold around a tonne. HSE found that a forklift truck had not been maintained and that two sets of bearings holding the forks in line had collapsed.

As the forks were lowered, they could jam on the mast and then fall when dislodged, putting employees working nearby at risk of serious injury.

HSE found the forklift had been repaired on many occasions in the previous year but all the work had been reactive. The company's maintenance regime was to repair in response to breakdowns.

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-yh-00513.htm

Electrical and machine guarding hazards lead to OSHA inspection and citation

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited a building materials company with 7 serious violations for exposing workers to electrical and machine guarding hazards, with proposed penalties of $41,000.

OSHA conducted a safety inspection in response to a complaint about unsafe working conditions and machine hazards. They discovered workers building prefabricated wood trusses without the required machine guarding.

"The lack of machine guarding can lead to serious injuries, including amputations," said Casey Perkins, OSHA's area director in Austin. "OSHA's standards must be followed to prevent accidents, injuries and illnesses."

The serious violations include failing to provide machine guarding while operating saws, ensure that rotating shafts on machines are covered, ensure that electrical wiring is protected and ensure electrical cords are maintained in safe condition.

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Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23481

Man buried alive in a sand silo in a tragic workplace accident

In a tragic workplace accident, a worker at a building and mining company died when he was buried alive in a sand silo. He was moving sand from a pile when it collapsed on him.

The company’s owner told ABC today that the incident was an “unmitigated disaster”. Six FESA crews, including fire and rescue officers rushed to the worksite amid reports a man had been crushed. Attempts to extricate him were unsuccessful and he died at the scene.

WorkSafe is now investigating the incident and a spokeswoman said the man, in his 20s, was working underneath a pile of fine sand used in concrete production when it collapsed on top of him. How the mound collapsed was still being investigated.

After being told someone had been crushed, a co-worker said “it shouldn't happen to anybody at any time. Things go wrong. Mistakes happen.”

Unions WA secretary Meredith Hammat said it was concerning work injuries were on the rise after some years of decline. “Any fatality is a tragedy and for co-workers and family... I extend to them my sympathy,” she said.

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Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/man-buried-alive-in-sand/story-e6frf7jo-1226499886001

Company fined for exposing workers to amputation hazards

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited an auto parts supplier with 13 safety violations at the company's auto parts manufacturing facility. The violations include a lack of machine guarding and allowing workers to perform maintenance on machinery without first isolating the equipment's energy source. Proposed fines total $51,000.

"OSHA is committed to protecting workers, especially when employers fail to do so" said Bill Wilkerson, OSHA's area director.

Twelve serious violations involve a lack of guarding for the points of operation on automated mechanical forging presses, not having machine-specific lockout/tagout procedures, a damaged metal guard on a conveyor, inadequate strain relief and insulation for electrical cords, a lack of periodic inspections, unguarded floor openings, failing to train workers, and failing to lock out the energy sources of machinery during servicing and maintenance.

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Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23142

Manufacturing company prosecuted after worker's arm severed by conveyor

An animal feed manufacturer has been fined after a worker lost his arm when it became entangled in a conveyor. The 35-year-old was attempting to clear a blockage on a conveyor when his right arm became entangled and was severed just below the elbow.

The company had failed to provide a safe system of work for production staff to clear blockages on conveyors and there were no guards to prevent access to the unblocking hatch. The company was fined a total of £20,000 and £9,716 costs.

HSE Inspector Steven Gill, said: "This incident could have been prevented had there been appropriate guarding in place. This type of injury is not uncommon in the manufacturing industry."

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-e-99.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

Truck company fined over worker's life-changing injuries

A firm has been prosecuted after one of its employees suffered life-changing injuries when he fell from a stepladder while spray-painting a lorry.

The Health and Safety Executive investigation found that the same employee had fallen off a stepladder just one month before the incident, but no action had been taken to improve safety at the site.

The worker had been painting the lorry when one of the feet on the stepladder slipped down a grill in the concrete floor. He fell approximately two metres and shattered his left shoulder and collar bone, broke several ribs and received a deep cut to his head.

HSE Inspector Kim Tichias said: "The dangers of carrying out work at height are well known and the company should have provided secure working platforms rather than giving employees lightweight stepladders. If the firm had planned the work properly and made changes following the previous incident, then the worker's injuries could have been avoided."

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-e-98.htm

130 workplace deaths in Australia so far in 2012

As of 24 September, 130 Australian workers have died at work. During the same period last year, 120 deaths had occurred. Safe Work Australia records cases of work fatality and injury, updates statistics and prepares several reports.

Worker deaths by industry as of September 24, 2012:
Transport, postal and warehousing (42)
Agriculture, forestry and fishing (27)
Construction (19)
Manufacturing (9)
Administrative and support services (6)
Arts and recreation services (4)
Mining (4)
Public administration and safety (3)
Electricity, gas, water and waste services (2)
Wholesale trade (2)
Retail trade (2)
Education and training (2)
Other services (2)
Health care and social assistance (1)
Financial and insurance services (1)
Professional, scientific and technical services (1)
Industry unknown (3)

The data is only an initial estimate for the number of people killed. More information can be found at the Safe Work Australia website.

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Source: http://www.safetyculture.com.au/news/index.php

Recycling company sentenced over worker's death

A recycling company has been ordered to pay £240,000 in fines and costs after a worker was killed at a factory.

The 31-year-old worker was last seen alive by his colleagues in the early hours of the morning on 24 November 2005. The HSE investigation concluded that the most likely cause of his death was that he fell into a machine while checking to see if it was running smoothly.

The company failed to take steps to prevent access to the machine while it was operating, and failed to ensure power to the machine was cut before maintenance work was carried out. The company also had an inadequate risk assessment in place and its training, supervision and monitoring of the work did not meet acceptable standards.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Principal Inspector Tanya Stewart said:
"This was a tragic death that could have been prevented if the company had put more thought into the safety of its employees and the adequacy of its working practices. I hope this case will act as a warning to companies to think more carefully about the safety of workers who clean, maintain or repair machines or who clear blockages."

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-nw-jfcplastics.htm

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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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