Issue Date:  -  Thursday, 22 April 2004

Big Fine For Not Making Workplace Safe

Carnarvon company Nat Constructions was fined $12,000 in the Carnarvon Court of Petty Sessions this week for failing to provide a safe working environment for employees.

A 51-year-old employee of the company was crushed to death in a concrete-mixing truck in March 2002.  Nat Constructions pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to provide a safe workplace.

WorkSafe Acting Executive Director Nina Lyhne said today that the case was another illustration of how important it was to ensure that workplaces were kept safe.

“Although the number of work-related injuries has been reduced considerably over the past ten years, we still have a lot of work to do in reducing the toll even further,” Ms Lyhne said.

“Every 25 minutes a Western Australian is injured at work, and every 16 days a Western Australian dies from injuries sustained while earning a living.

“Over the past five years, an average of 19 workers have been fatally injured each year in WA workplaces, and each year another 22,700 have had one or more days off work due to injury or illness.

“This is simply not acceptable, and we must continue to be vigilant in ensuring that safe systems of work are implemented in all workplaces.”

In this week’s case, an electrical fault had caused the concrete mixer to cease operating, and the concrete had solidified by the time the truck had returned to the depot and needed to be removed.

The employee climbed through the manhole to access the agitator, which then resumed moving, crushing the man.

WorkSafe alleged that the employer failed to provide a safe working environment by not providing a system of work where the agitator had to be secured and the engine isolated before any employee approached it.

Although the employee was not instructed to enter the agitator bowl, an employer is required to guard against the possibility of an employee’s lapse in concentration or judgement.

Ms Lyhne said that Nat Constructions had learned a great deal from the incident and that it should provide a wake-up call to all workplaces.

“I’m told that since this tragic event, the company involved has implemented several new work practices aimed at preventing a recurrence,” she said.

“I commend the company for taking immediate action, but I would also remind those in charge of workplaces to ensure they have a system of work relating to lock-out and tagging of machinery as a preventative measure.

“Locking out is the most effective way of preventing machinery from becoming operational during repairs or maintenance, and employers are obliged to establish and maintain safe systems of work in this area.

“We are obviously keen to send a very clear message about the importance of safety and health at work, reflecting community expectations that people have a basic right to a work environment in which hazards and risks are eliminated or managed.

“I strongly urge anyone in charge of a workplace to ensure all possible safety measures remain in place in order to reduce the risk of tragic injuries.”

Further information on keeping your workplace safe and on lock-out and tagging procedures can be obtained by telephoning WorkSafe on 9327 8777 or on the website at www.safetyline.wa.gov.au.