Issue Date:  -  Monday, 13 September 2004

Fine leads to warnings

$10,000 in fines imposed this week on a South-West dairy has led to warnings on locking out machines and the guarding of machinery in workplaces.

Challenge Dairy in Capel pleaded guilty in the Busselton Court of Petty Sessions to two charges under the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations relating to the lock-out and guarding of machinery.

The company was fined $5000 on each charge.

A dairy employee who was cleaning a machine sustained serious crush injuries to his right hand when he reached into an opening in the “cheese mellowing tube” and his glove was caught on a rotating auger.

The moving parts of the machine were not adequately guarded, and the dairy did not have procedures in place for the locking out and tagging of the machine while it was being cleaned.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne said today that the case provided a timely reminder that employers had a legal responsibility to ensure machinery was adequately guarded and that safe systems of work were in place.

“In this case, the employer needed to ensure the machine could not be activated while the employee cleaned it, and of course the injury never would have happened if the moving parts had been adequately guarded,” Ms Lyhne said.

“The cleaning of the machine was at least a daily occurrence that should have incorporated safe systems of work, and I find this kind of lack of vigilance on employee safety very disappointing.

“The company did take immediate action to remedy the situation after the incident, but we want to push the message that employers need to be proactive with workplace safety and anticipate risks before injuries occur.”

Manufacturers of machinery are legally required to make sure that plant and machinery is designed in such a way that operators are protected from injury.

Employers and operators are under an obligation to leave guards and other safety devices in place when machinery is being operated.

Guards should be designed to protect the user but allow access for maintenance, and should not be removed unless the machine is stopped and isolated from the power source and locked out.

“Guarding is the oldest and most easily understood method for minimising the risk of injury to machine operators, and it has been required by occupational safety and health legislation for a long time,” Ms Lyhne said.

“Machinery also needs to be both tagged and locked out when maintenance is being undertaken to ensure that it cannot operate at all while the work is taking place.

“It is extremely disappointing to see that WorkSafe is continuing to have to prosecute where workers have been maimed and their lives changed forever because employers have failed to establish safe work practices in their workplaces.

“It is absolutely crucial that machinery is adequately guarded and that lock-out and tagging procedures are enforced, and WorkSafe inspectors will be coming down hard on employers who do not provide a safe workplace by ensuring that this is done.”

Further information on the guarding of machinery and lock-out and tagging procedures can be obtained by telephoning WorkSafe on 9327 8777 or on the website at www.safetyline.wa.gov.au.