Reset the safety agenda call after two deaths in two days

08 October 2009

An alarming spate of work-related deaths and serious injuries has prompted WorkSafe Victoria to call on businesses and workers to go back-to-basics and take workplace safety more seriously.

Two fatalities this week and an incident which left a man in hospital with serious head injuries have led to WorkSafe’s call.

The two fatalities, at Wandin North in the Yarra Valley on Tuesday and at Bannockburn, near Geelong, yesterday takes to 20 the number of work-related traumatic deaths this year.

A man’s head was crushed between an industrial chipper and a truck at Warrandyte North on Tuesday and a woman was left with a serious leg injury at the weekend.

More than 28,600 injuries were reported statewide last financial year

“Knowing your industry, what goes on and what goes wrong means you put effective strategies in place and do not have to make a knee-jerk reaction if tragedy strikes,” WorkSafe’s Executive Director John Merritt said.

“It is as fundamental as ensuring people are paid.

“Employers, managers, supervisors and contractors must establish and maintain safety standards on their sites.

“Along with workmates, they need to speak up if they see something dangerous happening.”

Mr Merritt said relying on ‘industry practice’ a common response when safety issues were identified, could be a shortcut to disaster because a common practice might not be best-practice.    

“No one can afford to rely on their own skill or experience, or that of others, to survive a day at work. Equally, employers must ensure workers do have the skills needed to work safely.

“Ensuring people are properly trained, adequately supervised, that they have the right equipment for the job and that work is properly planned greatly reduces the likelihood of incidents like these happening.”  

Work Safe Week runs from 26-30 October. More than 100 events are being held across the state. Details and bookings at www.worksafe.vic.gov.au.

WorkSafe’s publications are available online along with information about particular risks, industries and occupations at www.worksafe.vic.gov.au or call the free and confidential advisory service on 1800 136 089.

Small businesses can sign up for a WorkSafe-funded free and independent three-hour visit by a safety consultant. Details can be found at www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/smallbusiness.

Recent incidents:

Saturday 3 October : A woman suffered serious leg injury while carrying out a maintenance task on an industrial conveyor at a food processing business in Kensington. She fell into an unguarded opening on a machine.   

Tuesday 6 October:

1)A 28-year-old Diamond Valley man is lucky to be alive after suffering serious head injuries as he was moving an industrial chipping machine on a steep slope at Warrandyte North. He has had extensive surgery since the incident and is understood to be in a stable condition.

2) A Lower Templestowe man, 47, died from crushing injuries after a tractor he was driving became entangled in a steel wire which was acting as a guy rope to support poles for a canopy over a Wandin North orchard.    

Wednesday 7 October:

A man aged in his 50s died at Bannockburn near Geelong while operating a boom lift. He was found crushed between the machine’s bucket and the roof of a building in which he was working.  

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