VIC: Company Fined as Unguarded Plant Injures Director

Source: Safety Culture

A sand quarry company has been fined on Monday after director suffered hand injuries due to an unguarded plant.

The company pleaded guilty before the Magistrates Court to failing to provide & maintain so far as was practicable for employees a safe working environment - plant & systems of work.

The sand supplies business at Ronald's Road, Willung is run by a small family company. One casual employee and the company's two directors (husband and wife) serve as workers at the sand quarry.

On 13 July 2009 the male director was standing on a platform operating a sand sieve when his left hand became trapped at the in-running nip points between the head drum and the conveyor belt.

He sustained de-gloving and bruising to his left hand, and had to undergo surgery.

Magistrate Edwin Batt was told sand quarry work involves excavating raw sand from the mine and loading it into the sand hopper by front end loader.

The sand passes through the hopper and travels up on the incline conveyor to a sand sieve. A worker can access the sieve by a ladder to the platform.

Magistrate Batt heard there is no guarding in place on the nip points and other dangerous parts of the plant while it is turned on. Coming in contact with the plant's parts can result to nipped or de-gloved fingers and breaking or crushing of limbs.

The company was fined $6,000 and ordered to pay $2,787.52 in costs.