Truro quarry fined over worker fatality

A quartzite quarry operator located near Truro in South Australia and a labour hire company have been fined a total of $479,000 following the fatality of a worker in April 2020.

Kara Resources, trading as Hallett Resources Truro, and Taurus Recruitment both pleaded guilty in the South Australian Employment Tribunal (SAET) for breaches of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 A 29-year-old man suffered fatal head injuries when he entered a cavity of a rock crushing machine and attempted to remove a metal blockage at the quarry near Truro, about 100km north-east of Adelaide.

When the blockage was released, stored energy from within the machine caused its components to move under considerable force, striking the worker in the head.

No risk assessment or safe work method was created for this hazardous task, and no training was provided to the worker in the removal of metal blockages. SafeWork SA’s investigation identified that the risk of injury was foreseeable,and the incident could have been avoided had the company had adequate training and safe work procedures in place. Taurus Recruitment failed to adequately consult, cooperate and coordinate with the host employer to ensure that adequate hazard identification and risk assessments process were in place. It also failed to ensure that the host employer provided and maintained adequate safe work method statements and documented safe work procedures in relation to the safe operation and safe removal of metal blockages.

The SAET convicted Kara Resources and imposed a fine of $650,000 (reduced to $455,000 mid-2028 with a production capacity of up to 100,000 tonnes of green methanol per annum. after a 30 per cent discount for early guilty plea) plus legal fees. Taurus Recruitment, the labour hire company that employed the worker, was also convicted and fined $40,000 (reduced to $24,000 after a 40 per cent discount for early guilty pleas) plus legal fees.

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In his sentencing comments, Deputy President Judge Rossi said the worker and his family were entitled to rely on Kara to adequately train and supervise him.

“He, his wife and their three young children were entitled to expect that after each shift of work he would return safely home,” Rossi said.

“At the same time, he and his family were also entitled to assume that Taurus, as his employer, would, insofar as was reasonably practicable, consult, cooperate and coordinate the activities to be performed.”

Electric shock risks from incorrect wiring

Following prosecutions by Western Australia’s Building and Energy, separate cases were recently heard at Perth Magistrates Court against a business and one of its employees, an electrical worker known as MJ, highlighting regulatory breaches and dangerous electric shock risks. According to facts presented in court for both matters, Future Power was contracted in 2020 to connect the electricity supply for two communication huts in Shadforth and Broomehill West.

MJ carried out the work and Future Power submitted notices of completion declaring that the installations were checked, tested, compliant and safe. However, a Western Power electrical inspector later found the multiple earthed neutral (MEN) connection had not been installed at the Shadforth site.

Without an MEN, protective devices such as circuit breakers and fuses may not operate if an electrical fault occurs, which can cause metal objects to become live with lethal voltage levels. At Broomehill West, the inspector found the switchboard’s active and neutral conductors were transposed, which could cause an electric shock

Pipe maker fined $45,000 after serious injury

A Victorian company that manufactures reinforced concrete products has been fined $30,000 after a worker’s hand got caught in a machine at its Kilmore workplace, resulting in serious injury.

Reinforced Concrete Pipes Australia (RCPA) was also fined an additional $15,000 for failing to control the risk of a forklift colliding with pedestrians and other mobile plant. The business also had to pay costs of $7560, with no conviction recorded. The company was sentenced in the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court after earlier pleading guilty to a single charge of failing, so far as was reasonably practicable, to provide a safe working environment for persons other than employees, and to a single charge of failing, so far as was reasonably practicable, to provide a safe working environment.

In November 2019, a labour hire worker was tasked with cleaning a concrete precast machine. To carry out the task, workers were required to enter the danger areas of the 40-tonne, 6m machine, descend 4m into a lower level and shovel concrete residue into a wheelbarrow for removal. or fire. A non-compliant cable and connection method were also noted. MJ was fined $8000 and ordered to pay costs of $537.15 after pleading guilty to four breaches of WA’s Electricity Licensing Regulations due to the substandard work.

As the worker was lowered on a hydraulic platform his right hand became trapped between moving machine parts, resulting in the partial amputation of two fingers and the partial degloving of three fingers.

WorkSafe Victoria inspectors identified significant safety risks, including the risk of fall into the lower level by using the hydraulic platform rather than stairs to enter the lower level and exposure to multiple sheer and crush points. The court heard RCPA had not carried out a risk assessment of the work, had not adequately trained the worker in the use of the plant, had not provided the machine’s manual to the worker, knew safety gate interlocks had been deliberately bypassed, and knew the machine could be turned on while workers were still inside the danger areas.

Future Power also pleaded guilty to two offences under the regulations for submitting inaccurate notices of completion. It was fined $10,000 and had to pay costs of $418. WA’s Director of Energy Safety Saj Abdoolakhan said the cases should remind electricians why checks and tests of their work are mandatory.

Upon reviewing CCTV footage and during inspections, WorkSafe Victoria inspectors also witnessed forklifts being driven in close proximity to pedestrians. 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

• 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 fixed to machines at all times

• regularly service and inspect machines and equipment

• place signs on or near a machine to alert employees of the dangers of operating it.

Guardian Angel Portal Launches

Guardian Angel Safety, an industry-leading provider of lone and remote work solutions in Australasia, has launched the Guardian Angel Portal to enable organisations to be more responsive to the changing safety needs of mobile workers working alone or remotely.

The portal allows customers to securely view and manage all safety devices, data, and planning for workers in real-time via an easy to-use interface. In addition, all device-monitoring, vehicle-impact and rollover alerts are delivered to the portal – with an immediate response from Guardian Angel Safety if required. The cloud-based portal encrypts data while being sent and at rest. In addition, policy-based permissions management ensures data can only be accessed by people who are authorised to do so within their role.

Guardian Angel Safety’s solutions circumvent the emergency number process and link customers to its response software at its graded monitoring stations with trained operators to speed up the emergency response for mobile workers working alone or remotely, including for sudden-onset injury or illness, road accidents, vehicle failure, or other emergencies.

• guardianangelsafety.co

Vitrethane 650if Has A View For Safety

With an increased awareness of workplace health and safety when using protective coatings, A&I Coatings is continually looking for ways to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful chemicals, such as isocyanates in paint. Exposure to isocyanates is known to cause respiratory illness and skin irritation, such as allergic contact dermatitis. Utilising leading technology has led to a breakthrough in polyurethane coatings, with A&I Coatings formulating the first true isocyanate-free polyurethane coating available in Australia: Vitrethane 650IF.

Vitrethane 650IF is a premium-quality two-pack isocyanate-free polyurethane topcoat. Utilising full polyurethane technology and curing without the use of isocyanates makes Vitrethane 650IF a safer and more durable coating than conventional isocyanate-free coatings.

Vitrethane 650IF is a high-gloss, versatile polyurethane topcoat with exceptional durability and weathering performance, and improved impact and abrasion resistance.

• aicoatings.com.au

Safetyspear Protects Workers From Underground Hazards

Designed and manufactured by Rattlejack, the SafetySpear works to protect underground mining personnel and equipment from free-falling overhead hazards by plugging drill holes quickly and inexpensively with a lightweight, highimpact-absorbing polymer system.

The innovation addresses shortcomings of other practices in widespread global use, including corrosion-prone steel systems and traditional grouting and plating over where weaknesses can result in serious mine site injury and death. The SafetySpear has been purpose-built to activate on impact with any downward force: its two-stage design decelerates the impact by blocking the hole with its flexible upper section, conforming to the shape and size of the available space. This effectively stops the falling hazard with minimal backward movement, a method never previously seen in underground mining.

rattlejack.com.au

The Next Step In Production Drilling

Epiroc has launched the Simba E70 S, a new long-hole production drill rig for medium-to-large-sized drifts.

While the Simba E70 S will provide customers with cutting-edge automation features and excellent drilling quality, it will also feature Epiroc’s optimisation method; a step-by-step program that continuously improves how the machine is utilised in the mining process.

“Our new Simba E70 S delivers greater value to our customers’ operations through improved productivity, with zero compromise on quality,” Epiroc sales and marketing and underground division vice president Sarah Hoffman said.

Simba E70 S is part of Epiroc’s smart series and can be delivered with the optional battery-electric driveline for reduced environmental impact and healthier underground conditions.

However, the real value is found while the machine is producing metres; the ability to track the Simba E70 S’s effectiveness and utilisation and produce metres when active is one of its main advantages.

• epiroc.com/en-au

DON’T LET DARKNESS STOP YOU

The Atlas Copco HiLight B5+ Light Tower is suitable for a wide range of applications, including events, residential and road construction, temporary public lighting, and oil and gas requirements.

Designed to offer the widest choice when it comes to finding the light tower that is right for your application, the HiLight range provides a flexible and dynamic set of lighting options while addressing all aspects of efficiency. Safety operators can be assured of the robust build quality and compact size for which Atlas Copco is globally recognised.

Atlas Copco has put its innovation stamp on LED technology. The lenses in the LED light towers have a very special optic designed specifically for construction and mining applications. This innovative, fully directional, LED lens design ensures the light coverage is maximised while a single HiLight tower can cover an area of up to 5000m2 with a 20 lux (brightness) average – ensuring a brighter, safer, and more productive site.

• atlascea.com.au

Introducing The Safegauge Dial Indicator

According to a 2019 Queensland Department of Resources report, 25 per cent of mining fatalities are related to interaction with machinery, which makes testing equipment extremely critical in ensuring safety and productivity.

In the past, testing heavy machines often required workers to be near the vehicle to manually take measurements, leaving them at risk of serious injuries. Now with the SafeGauge dial indicator (DI), technicians can perform these tasks at a safe distance by enabling workers to remotely measure clearances, tolerances and wear on machine components safely, efficiently and out of the line of fire.

The SafeGauge DI connects via Bluetooth from a distance of up to 50m and measures up to 10mm of movement with an accuracy of 0.01mm. The DI unit is mounted on one machine component, with the pin resting on another.

The reading is ‘zeroed’ and the machine is run through the appropriate motions with the technician remaining at a safe distance. The SafeGauge MultiTool then displays the live reading between the two components in real-time to the technician, who is safely out of harm’s way.

• safegauge.com.au