Australia – Transport company prosecuted and fined $150K over forklift injury
Comcare has prosecuted and fined a transport company after a worker suffered severe crush injuries when his forklift overturned. The passage way was deemed to be too narrow for the 32 tonne load being carried and the load was being transported at a height of eight metres. One of the worker’s legs may be amputated. More.
NSW – Crane company fined $65K and ordered to advertise its OHS failings
A Sydney crane company has been convicted and fined $65,000 after a worker fell 2.5 m from a construction site, suffering serious crush injuries. The company has also been ordered to place a large advertisement about the incident and its conviction in the print media. More.
NSW – Second company ordered to advertise its OHS breaches
The NSW Industrial Court has ordered a project manager, contractor and subcontractor to take out newspaper advertisements, in five languages, outlining their OHS breaches. They have each been convicted, and one company fined $80,000, after a non-English speaking worker suffered serious injuries when he fell from unsafe scaffolding. No workers at the site spoke English - they relied on their supervisor to translate for them. The supervisor had been instructed to ask others not to use the dangerous scaffolding, but he failed to tell them. More.
NT – Bus driver death leads to fine; lack of consultation a factor
Failure to consult with its workers about hazards has led to a $7,500 fine for a bus company over a driver’s death. The driver’s head and neck became trapped in a bus door. Other drivers had experienced similar incidents before the company took over the business. More.
QLD – Company fined $135K over insulation death
The death of a 16 year old while installing insulation has led to fines of $135,000 for his employer. The company directors pleaded guilty to breaching both the Electrical Safety Act and the Workplace Health and Safety Act. A metal pole was being used to move insulation in place. Use of the metal pole, and defective wiring in the house, led to his electrocution. More.
SA – Drilling death leads to $135K fine
Failure to use the right tool for the job has led to the death of a drilling worker and a $135,000 fine for an international drilling company. The company has also been ordered to take out a full page advertisement in an industry journal, publicising its safety failings and lessons learnt. This is the first workplace death in SA since fines were trebled in 2008. More.
SA – Solo worker trapped in conveyor belt; company and directors fined $50K
A brickworks company and its two directors have been fined more than $50,000 after a person working alone became trapped in an unguarded conveyor belt. SafeWork deemed the company failed to assess plant safety, document safe work procedures or develop a working-alone policy. More.
SA – Rusted guard on fan fails; conviction and $44K fine over finger amputations
A produce wholesaler has been fined $44,000 after a worker’s thumb and two fingers were amputated by a cooling fan. The worker tripped on a pallet and braced himself against the fan. The fan's badly-rusted metal guard gave way. More.
SA – Crush injury leads to $26K - procedures inadequate
A court has deemed that inadequate safe operating procedures and inadequate control measures contributed to a worker’s arm crush injuries. The metal fabrication company was fined $26,250, after the worker’s arm was trapped by machinery. The machine had been switched to manual mode when a co-worker activated the machine. More.
SA – Interlock device could have prevented worker losing her livelihood
A baking company has been convicted and fined after a worker suffered serious shoulder injuries when her arm became trapped in a dough-proofing machine. No interlock device was fitted and no risk assessment had been done. The company made an early guilty plea and has taken remedial action, leading to a discounted fine. More.
SA – Subcontractor fined after sparks cause house fire
A building company has been convicted and fined for failing to ensure that a non-employee was not adversely affected by its work. In 2008, sparks from building work ignited grass and fire spread to a neighbouring house, which was severely damaged. The company was fined $18,750, has already paid $40,000 reparations and has been denied insurance cover for the incident. More.
VIC – $475K fine and conviction after crushing death
A mine maintenance contractor has been convicted and fined $475,000 after one of its workers was crushed to death when a 700kg steel beam fell on him. The worker was doing routine maintenance when two cables failed. Hand winches and the lifting rope were in poor condition and there were no inspection or maintenance records. More.
VIC – Inadequate equipment and training leads to excavator death; $450K fine for towing company
The death of a worker while driving a 20 tonne excavator off a trailer has led to a $450,000 fine for a transport company. A similar incident, where no-one was hurt, had previously occurred. The steel-tracked excavator slipped from the steel-decked trailer; the trailer was too narrow for the excavator and its treads were hanging over the sides of the trailer. The equipment and training were deemed inadequate. More.
VIC – Fuel tank explosion leads to enforceable undertaking
A government department has entered into an enforceable undertaking with WorkSafe, after a worker suffered serious burns when a fuel tank exploded. The worker was asked to weld the tank, without being told to clean it or remove fuel from it beforehand. As part of the undertaking, the department is required to:
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create a senior full time OHS leadership role to work across regional depots
- invest $120,000 in a safety leadership program, which will include dangerous goods training, as well as general OHS training for managers and supervisors
- spend $10,000 advertising the dangers of welding fuel drums and best practice for this work, in regional Victorian newspapers. More.
VIC – Conviction, $163K+ fine and advertisement orders for forklift-related death
A company’s failure to seek first aid or call an ambulance for an injured worker, who later died, has led to a conviction and $163,500 fine. The worker was hit by a forklift and hit his head when he fell. The company has also been ordered to place a series of newspaper advertisements highlighting the incident and including safety tips. More.
VIC - Supermarket chain to donate $90K to OHS research and improve OHS practices after forklift incident
A supermarket chain has been required to enter into an enforceable undertaking after an incident involving an unlicensed and unsupervised forklift operator. The worker wasn’t injured, but the company will:
donate $90,000 to safety research and charity
review its OHS systems annually and have them independently audited
publish an article about the incident
run a free case study seminar during Work Safe Week about the incident. More.
VIC – Another forklift incident leads to conviction and donation order
WorkSafe is urging employers to physically separate people from forklifts and not just ‘draw lines on the ground’. This follows another forklift incident, where a worker was hit by a forklift and suffered leg injuries requiring skin grafts. Her employer has been convicted and placed on an adjourned undertaking. They have also been ordered to pay $112,500 to a medical fund. The workplace had no physical barriers or marked walkways to separate pedestrians and forklifts. More.
WA – Unlicensed driver hits colleague in car yard; $30K fine for employer
An Osborne Park car dealer has been fined $30,000 after a car detailer suffered pelvis and leg fractures after being hit by a car driven by an unlicensed colleague. The apprentice had been involved in two previous car incidents and the employer had taken no action. More.
WA – Department fined $50K over tractor incident
The injury of a student at an agricultural college has led to a $50,000 fine for a government department. A teacher had advised the college’s farm supervisor that the equipment was faulty, but was told the college couldn’t afford to do the repairs. The student was dragged into a hoe, up to her waist. More.
NZ - $180K costs to construction company over welding death
The death of a contractor, who was welding on top of a tank of flammable material, has led to a construction company being fined $80,000 and ordered to pay reparations of $100,000. The Department of Labor deemed that the company knew of the risks but did not tell the contractor to stop the work. More.
NZ – Plant manufacturers must check safety after installation: DoL
A manufacturer has been fined $44,000, plus $9,000 in reparations, for failing to ensure equipment it had installed was safe to use. No risk assessment was done after a meat processing system was installed; a worker suffered a leg fracture from an unguarded machine. More.
NZ – Four companies prosecuted over unguarded machinery incident
The Department of Labour has prosecuted four companies, including the employer, two plant designers and the principal contractor, for their involvement in a conveyor belt incident. The machine was not guarded. More.
