Furniture business fined $15,000 over unsafe work practices
Issue Date: - Wednesday, 13 May 2009
A Balcatta furniture importing and wholesale business has been fined $15,000 for failing to provide a safe workplace after a labour hire worker was injured in a fall from a forklift.
Charles Watsford Lindsay Thomson (trading as Ford Thomson International) pleaded guilty in February and was fined in the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday.
In September 2006, a labour hire worker and a Ford Thomson employee were engaged in picking furniture stock from racks at the Balcatta premises, with the labour hire worker standing on a raised unsecured pallet while the other man operated the forklift.
The worker was approximately three metres above the concrete floor when the unsecured pallet moved and he fell to the floor, breaking his ankle and elbow.
WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne said today that the case should serve as a reminder to ensure that safe systems of work were in place, especially where forklifts were in use.
“There are many hazards involved with the use of forklifts, and it is extremely important that they are used safely,” Ms Lyhne said.
“In this case, standing on an unsecured pallet on the fork arm was the usual method used for picking stock in this particular workplace.
“Since this incident, a far safer system of work has been introduced whereby stock is stored on pallets which are then raised and lowered by forklift, removing the hazardous practice of workers being elevated to pick stock.
“The employer could also have either fitted purpose-built workcages to the fork arms or used order picking lift trucks that are specifically designed for this situation.
“The court case revealed that the employer was aware of the unsafe system of work being used and failed to take any steps to prohibit it.
“The labour hire worker involved in this incident could easily have been spared the pain and inconvenience he suffered as a consequence of the employer’s failure to ensure that safe systems of work were in place.”
Further information on safe systems of work and the safe use of forklifts can be obtained by telephoning WorkSafe on 9327 8777 or on the website at www.worksafe.wa.gov.au.