Following an incident in which a worker’s arm was entangled in machinery Kurdeez Minerals Pty Ltd has pleaded guilty to a single charge of failing to provide or maintain safe plant and safe systems of work. The Timboon quarry operator has been fined $100,000 with conviction.
The November 2023 incident occurred when the worker was tasked with greasing the unguarded drive gear cog of a large rotary drier. The dryer, which was partially enclosed by a fence, was used to heat and dry limestone before crushing. The plant had five danger points, formed by rotating rollers and cogs, which posed a risk of entanglement.
The worker entered the fenced off area via an access gate to apply the grease while the dryer was still operating. His right arm was pulled into the gear cog, causing serious injuries which required his arm to be amputated below the elbow and the worker to undergo six subsequent surgeries.
Although there was a standard operating procedure for using the plant, it only stated that greasing points should be lubricated prior to start up and did not include any lock-out tag-out (LOTO) procedures. The verbal training the worker received did not cover starting or greasing the plant, nor the use of the LOTO isolator switch.
It was reasonably practicable to expect the company to have installed secure fencing with no gaps around the dryer and to have controlled any access through a lockable gate. The company also failed to have had a documented LOTO procedure that identified when and how to LOTO the plant and to provide workers with a LOTO induction and a lock and tag.
WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin said the worker’s life-changing injury could have been avoided had the right safety measures been in place. “Injuries from plant don’t happen by chance,” Mr Jenkin said. “They happen when known risks are not adequately controlled.”
To manage risks when working with machinery employers should:
- Identify hazards, assess the risks associated with them and eliminate or control those risks by isolating them or using an alternative process.
- Train staff in the safe operation of machines and equipment and provide written procedures in the worker's first language.
- Develop and implement safe operating procedures in consultation with employees and health and safety representatives.
- Ensure safety guards and gates are compliant and are fixed to machines at all times.
- Regularly service and inspect all machines and equipment.
- Place signs on or near a machine to alert employees of the dangers of operating it.
Plant is a major cause of workplace death and injury in Victoria. There are significant risks associated with using machinery and equipment and injuries from the unsafe use of plant tend to be severe.
WorkSafe publishes the Compliance Code: Plant to guide employers in managing the risks associate with plant in the workplace. HSRs can also find information our Plant - OHS Reps and Machine Guarding - OHS Reps pages.
Read more: Quarry fined $100,000 after worker loses arm | WorkSafe Victoria