A Melbourne-based concreter is now an amputee after losing half his hand as a result of faulty concrete pumping equipment.
The worker was clearing debris from a truck mounted concrete pump at a construction site in Malvern when his hand became trapped in the pump’s hopper. truck-mounted
The faulty hopper turned on when the man’s arm was inside the machine, causing his hand to get stuck, subsequently crushing his hand and fingers.
The victim was taken to hospital where it was decided his hand needed to be amputated, leaving the worker with lifelong injuries.
Investigators found a failed hydraulic interlock valve, designed to shut off the pump when its safety grate was lifted, had failed to activate – allowing the worker’s exposed hand to be dragged into running machinery.
Director Trinity Himiona of TP Structures Pty Ltd, the worker’s employer, then drove the pumping truck back to a storage yard in Dandenong, even though WorkSafe Victoria had requested that the injury site be left undisturbed.
The incident was heard at the Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court earlier this month with the company pleading guilty to failing to provide a safe system of work and disturbing the site of a safety incident prior to investigations taking place.
How to manage risks when working with machinery:
- Identify hazards and assess risks associated
- Eliminate or isolate risks
- Ensure safety guards and gates are compliant.
- Regularly service and inspect machines and equipment.
- Use signage to alert employees of the dangers.
- Train staff in the safe operation of machines
- Provide written procedures in the worker’s first language.
- Develop and implement safe operating procedures.
A fine of $30,000 plus an additional $5,673 in costs was set in stone by magistrate Angela Bolger who determined TP Structures could have “reasonably” eliminated or reduced any safety risks by performing daily checks of the pump before anyone operated the machine, including the testing of its hydraulic interlock valve system.
WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Sam Jenkin says workers have a right to expect that the machinery they are working with operates safely.
“When it comes to operating machinery, having safe systems and checks in place is critical, this includes identifying hazards, ensuring safety features are operating correctly, and that staff understand how to operate the plant safely,” Mr Jenkin said.
“If the unthinkable happens and a worker is seriously injured, then duty holders must immediately notify WorkSafe and ensure that they don’t disturb the scene without reasonable excuse.”
WorkSafe lawyer Elana Tozer told the court TP Structures had enforced stronger safety protocols around machinery since the accident and had fully co-operated with investigations.
Mr Himiona told the court he was in “regular contact” with the injured worker and was “devasted he’d let his friend down”.
“I regret everyday that he had to go through this,” he said.
