Wednesday 10th February 2021

Workplace Safety News Update – Wednesday 10th February 2021

This edition of our safety news roundup, dated Wednesday 10th February 2021, covers two serious workplace incidents that highlight ongoing risks in Australian industries. Below we summarise a distillery fire in Tasmania and a fatal mining incident in New South Wales, both offering valuable lessons for WHS duty holders.

Man Suffers Serious Burns After Fire at Adams Distillery

A man remains in critical condition after suffering partial and full-thickness burns to his hands, face and legs while mixing product using flammable liquids at the Adams Distillery at Perth, near Launceston.

Just after 10:20 am on Tuesday, multiple fire crews were called to fight the blaze. Tasmania Fire Service district officer of operations Mark Caintar confirmed the injured worker has not been identified and was airlifted to hospital in serious condition.

Caintar said the man was conducting normal day-to-day operations at the time of the incident and declined to speculate further on its cause, since the matter now falls under investigation by WorkSafe Tasmania.

He also praised one of the distillery owners, a former paramedic, for assisting his injured colleague during the emergency.

• The building sustained no structural damage.
• Caintar estimated total damages from the fire at between $1.5 and $2 million.

Full details of this incident are available via the ABC website.

Supervisor Fined $70,000 After Death of a Co-Worker

A mine owner has been convicted and fined $70,000 following an opal mining incident on 4 November 2016, in which a co-worker was fatally injured. Investigators say the incident occurred at Mulga Rush Opal Fields, southwest of Lightning Ridge.

The worker died when a bucket used to remove earth and soil from the mine fell, causing fatal injuries. Authorities believe he had inadvertently deactivated power to the hoist, allowing the bucket to fall unexpectedly.

On 1 October 2020, Judge Scotting found the mine owner failed to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that fixtures, fittings and plant were without risks to health and safety of any person present at the site.

This ruling serves as a timely reminder to WHS duty holders on the importance of maintaining appropriate controls to protect workers, regardless of operation scale or job complexity.

Resources Regulator’s chief investigator Andrew McColm stated that the court’s decision sends a strong message that community members expect mine operators, and persons who supply plant, to comply fully with their work health and safety obligations under law.

This outcome further reinforces why duty holders must ensure appropriate systems remain in place to protect workers from foreseeable hazards on-site.

The full article is published on the NSW media website.

Key Takeaways for WHS Professionals

Both incidents reported in this February 2021 update reinforce why robust risk controls, proper plant maintenance and clear safety procedures remain non-negotiable across high-risk industries such as manufacturing and mining.

Safety professionals reviewing incidents up to this date should consider auditing hazardous liquid handling procedures and mechanical hoist systems, since both featured prominently in the events covered by this February 2021 news summary.

For further weekly updates, read our previous editions: Wednesday 17th February 2021, Wednesday 24th February 2021, and Wednesday 10th March 2021 for more workplace safety news and analysis.