$235,000 in fines issued after quarry worker death - 15.3.21

A worker suffered fatal injuries in November 2018 when he was pulled into a conveyor’s tail pulley. The quarry operator and two employees pleaded guilty and were sentenced for failing to ensure risk to persons from quarrying operations was at an acceptable level.

The worker was exposed to the hazard due to the physical barrier between moving machinery and workers being removed.

Charges were laid against the quarry operator, its site senior executive and a supervisor following an investigation. The quarry operator was fined $180,000, while the site senior executive and supervisor were fined $45,000 and $10,000, respectively.

Chief Inspector of Mines Herman Fasching said, ‘The tragic loss of a young worker’s life is a stark reminder to industries of the need to maintain a chronic sense of unease about the safety of their workplaces and practices.’

The original article can be found on the NSCA Foundation website.

Source – SafetyCulture.com.au