WorkSafe warns of the cost of having unsafe machinery…

WorkSafe’s recent media release highlights the significant cost of having unsafe machinery in the workplace. 

The release notes that the courts have ordered workplaces to pay over half a million dollars in penalties in the last two months for specific injuries. These are only the cases where workers have lost fingers due to unsafe machinery. 

In one case an employee lost two fingers when using a back-up machine, as the primary machine was out of order. The Court ordered the company to pay a fine of $247,500 and $35,000 in reparations to the employee.

In another case an employee had three fingers partially amputated due to ‘unintended complacency’ by the company. The company was ordered to pay a fine of $200,000 and $35,377 in reparations. 

Another worker had two fingers amputated while cleaning a machine. Safety failures meant that the machine’s on/off switch was accidentally activated. The company was ordered to pay a fine of $74,392 and $33,000 in reparations. 

Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking are required to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its employees. In each of these cases, the PCBUs made essential failures which endangered its employees. These failures were avoidable. 

WorkSafe has several guides for PCBUs relating to health and safety, and specifically relating to keeping machinery safe. These include recommending identifying, assessing, and controlling hazards in the workplace. Hazards relating to machinery include mechanical hazards and operational hazards. 

Mechanical hazards relate to the machine itself, such as crushing and trapping hazards. Operational hazards are hazards created by the operation of the machine. For example, risks that arise due to poor machine instruction displays. 

The guides recommend that a company undertakes hazard and risk assessments. These help to inform the control of those hazards and allow PCBUs to eliminate or minimise hazards in the workplace.

Key features for reducing the safety risk of machinery includes proper and safe guarding of machinery. It also includes providing workers with full health and safety training on the safe operation of machinery. 

Workplace accidents caused by unsafe machinery are avoidable. Ensuring that you are assessing risks, controlling for hazards, and implementing safe systems of works are some steps towards creating a safe workplace. 

This news release acts as an important reminder of a PCBU’s health and safety obligations. If you are unsure how to meet these obligations, it is important to seek advice from a professional with experience in the area.  

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