Sawmill and director prosecuted after worker loses hand

Gippsland company Canningvale Timber Sales was convicted and fined $55,000 and its director, John Mavros, was convicted and fined $15,000 after a worker’s hand was cut off at the wrist by an unguarded saw at the company’s mill.

The director of WorkSafe’s Manufacturing, Logistics and Agriculture Division, Ross Pilkington, said inadequate machine guarding remained a common safety threat in sawmills and a recipe for disaster: “WorkSafe continues to take a zero-tolerance approach to sawmill safety. This is one of a number of serious incidents from mills which will be before the courts in coming months.”

Pilkington urged the industry to review potential safety issues as those identified during the investigation of the Canningvale incident could be found at many mills, adding: “Not addressing them puts people and the business at risk. They are not hard to find and in most cases easily fixed, often with material already on site.”

Morwell Magistrate Fiona Hayes was told a worker was adjusting timber near the blade of a docking saw in 2007 when a piece of timber fell against the machine’s control lever and cut off his hand at the wrist. Workmates immediately attended to the injured man, gave first aid, recovered his hand and called an ambulance. The injured man was flown to hospital where he had surgery to reattach the hand.

Since the incident, Mavros has provided assistance to the injured worker, including driving him to Melbourne for treatment on at least 48 occasions and would continue to do so.

The court was told that guards for the saw and operating lever were made from scrap steel-mesh and tubing from the property soon after the incident. Mavros was aware of the need for guarding, as a similar machine did have guarding in the past, but it had been removed by him and never replaced. The operating lever was poorly positioned and capable of being activated by timber falling against it. The saw did not have an emergency stop control or a tag out/lock out system.

At least one worker had expressed concern to fellow workers about the safety of the saw as he had experienced it being started by falling timber hitting the lever; however, the company didn’t provide adequate information to employees regarding safety, hazards or safe work practices and procedures.

Safety improvements were made after the man’s hand was amputated.