A salt processing company has been fined $875,000 over the death of a worker at its North Coogee facility on June 16, 2022.
W.A.S.S. Nominees Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain safe plant at the workplace and, by that failure, causing the death of a worker, and was fined in the Fremantle Magistrates Court last week.
The worker, an experienced plant operator, died when he was caught in the mechanism of a salt pit conveyor.
The guard for this part of the conveyor was not in place at the time of the incident. When in place, the guard was not always securely fixed and could be removed without the use of a tool.
The investigation was not able to determine when the guard had been removed, however did identify that on occasion a problem arose with the conveyor belt slipping.
Plant operators sometimes placed cardboard between the drive drum and the conveyor belt to keep the equipment operating, and this involved removing guarding.
The manufacturing managers were aware of the use of cardboard to address the conveyor belt slipping.
Following the incident, a permanent fence was erected around the salt pit conveyor, restricting access to all moving parts.
It included an access gate fitted with a locked clasp and an interlock switch that de-energises the motor of the salt pit conveyor when the gate is opened. The cost of the permanent fencing, access gate and interlock switch was $13,784.
This is the first prosecution for a breach leading to a fatality under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020, since this Act took effect in March 2022.
WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North said the case was a tragic reminder of the importance of ensuring that effective guarding and isolation procedures are in place for all equipment with hazardous moving parts, specifically conveyors.
“The risks associated with machinery such as conveyors are well known,” Ms North said. “Nip points or entrapment points on conveyors must be guarded, and those guards must be effective and well maintained.
“Where any task requires a person to enter a hazardous area, such as close to a nip point, an isolation and lock out process is required.
“WorkSafe has a Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace that provides practical guidance to effectively manage plant related risks.
“This Code should be followed in all workplaces where machinery related risks are present.
“I encourage employers to work with health and safety representatives and other workers to review their controls for the safe use of plant, and particularly conveyors, to ensure that the controls address all dangerous parts of the plant and are working as intended.
“Fatal incidents from inadequately guarded machinery are completely preventable and I call upon employers and workplace leaders to ensure robust controls are in place.”