Thursday 11th March 2021

Double conviction after crane tipping incident. 

Following a crane tipping incident in 2017, a crane and rigging business and employee were charged by SafeWork SA.

White Crane and Rigging Service and the employee both pleaded guilty In the South Australian Employment Tribunal (SAET) for breaches of their duties under the Act.

The incident occurred in December 2017; while removing pine trees at residential premises, the cables of the 130-tonne crane became entangled. The crane operator lowered the boom and overrode the safety switch, resulting in the crane tipping over and damaging two vehicles parked nearby.

After an investigation, SafeWork SA identified that the incident was avoidable if adequate planning and a risk assessment were completed.

Convictions were issued to both the business and employee. The SAET declined to order pecuniary fines to either party.

View the full article on the SafeWork SA website.

Alert issued after fatal crushing from CNC turret punch press. 

WorkSafe Victoria has issued an alert about the risk of sustaining severe or fatal injuries when entering a plant’s operating space.

Recently, an operator of a ‘CNC turret punch press’ was crushed when he entered the plant’s operational space between the carriage and a ball transfer table abutting the edge of the press’s primary table.

WorkSafe VIC recommend controlling the risks by installing physical perimeter fencing with interlocked access gates, fitting interlocked guards to prevent access to moving parts, among other

Under the Occupational Health and Safety regulations, employers must, so far as is reasonably practicable, provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risks to the health of employees and independent contractors.

For more details, view the safety alert on the WorkSafe VIC website.