Two injuries same machine - $40K fine

An Adelaide company that moulds carpet for the car industry was recently fined $40,000 after two workers were injured in near-identical circumstances by the same machine on two separate occasions.

Plexicorp pleaded guilty to two separate charges of breaching the Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Act 1986 in failing to provide a safe system of work and failing to keep plant in a safe condition.

SafeWork SA prosecuted the firm after investigating the incidents in January 2006 and July 2007 involving the same machine, which presses and moulds carpet.

In the first incident, a worker climbed into the machine to remove excess foam. While inside, a colleague started the machine, trapping the man’s foot. SafeWork SA found there were no safe operating procedures with respect to cleaning and maintenance of the press.

Despite a hazard identification and risk assessment which led to some alterations involving sensors and a lockout box, another worker was injured in a similar manner 18 months later. The worker was changing a tool die inside the same machine, and again a colleague pressed the start button unaware of the worker inside. His foot was caught in the same point identified in the first incident.

SafeWork SA found no safe operating procedure for this work practice, nor an adequate system for locking out the foam press while someone was inside.

Both incidents occurred under a previous owner, and safety systems have now improved so much under the new management that the employer was honoured at the Safe Work Awards, with the site now regarded as a best-practice safety model.