Don’t let your guard down when it comes to plant safety

A small family-run Queensland abrasive blasting company was fined $100,000 and ordered to pay legal costs, following a workplace incident where a worker suffered significant injuries to his foot as a result of an unguarded auger.

The company operated a blasting chamber where metal particles would fall through mesh floor to the hoppers below and move onto conveyor belts, into a pit, and then into a bucket elevator via an auger. Workers would regularly clean and manually clear the conveyor belts.

The auger was not sufficiently guarded as it did not cover the full exposed area of the auger and, contrary to the code of practice, Managing the risks of plant in the workplace, could be altered or removed without use of a tool. On the day of the incident, a worker was attempting to clean the conveyor belts when his left foot dislodged the guarding over the auger and became caught, causing significant injury.

The Court noted that the company had addressed the deficiencies of the easily removable guard and the lack of full coverage following the incident.

In sentencing, the Court expressed that the company’s remorse was “mixed” because while compassion was shown by the extra financial assistance given to the injured worker, the company pleaded not guilty and the director gave self-serving evidence to exculpate his company.

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