Safety alerts 2009

Mobile Crane Ground Stability

A serious near miss involving a 100 tonne mobile crane occurred on a busy construction site. There was potential for multiple fatalities. The ground beneath one of the crane outriggers collapsed while the crane was lifting a 4 ton panel. SA078

Size: 151.7 KB, 2 pages
Date: Nov 2009

Quad Bikes in the workplace

A recent coronial inquest into seven fatal incidents involving quad bikes (two in Tasmania and five in Victoria) has sparked a renewed call for improved safety on quad bikes. As a result, Workplace Standards Tasmania has adopted a policy of zero tolerance of breaches of duty of care responsibilities with quad bikes. SA077

Size: 124.9 KB, 2 pages
Date: Nov 2009

Truck tipping safety

A Superdog tipping trailer, with a tray and undercarriage combination, rolled over on an unsealed road. SA076

Size: 138.8 KB, 2 pages
Date: Oct 2009

Forklift Work Box

There have been a number of recent serious incidents involving people falling from heights while working in work boxes that had been elevated on industrial forklift trucks. In one of these cases, the fall led to a fatality. SA075

Size: 135.4 KB, 2 pages
Date: Nov 2009

Silo Collapse

A silo containing 300,000 litres of milk collapsed at a dairy co-op factory recently. The collapsed occurred after the dome bottom tore away, causing a large hole in the silo. The contents then rapidly discharged, creating a negative pressure which sucked in the upper ‘barrel’ and subsequently collapsed the silo. SA074

Size: 129.2 KB, 2 pages
Date: Oct 2009

Alcohol and drugs found to contribute to workplace injuries

Workplace Standards Tasmania inspectors have recently investigated a number of complaints about people affected by alcohol and drugs in the workplace, as well as a number of serious accidents where the injured workers registered positive readings to alcohol and/or a variety of illicit drugs. SA073

Size: 101.6 KB, 2 pages
Date: Aug 2009

Cut-resistant clothing

A tree faller received a cut to his leg, just below the knee, while using a chainsaw. SA072

Size: 111.3 KB, 2 pages
Date: July 2009

Fall from bulldozer

A bulldozer operator climbed out of the cab of a D9 bulldozer to stretch his legs. While he was standing on the platform, he slipped and fell forward onto the frame of the dozer. SA071

Size: 108.0 KB, 2 pages
Date: July 2009

Shot firer injury

Two serious incidents have occurred recently in Tasmanian mines, where shot firers and their assistants have been injured by an air blast. SA070

Size: 116.8 KB, 2 pages
Date: May 2009

Vehicle loading crane

Fatal injury as a result of being crushed by the boom of a vehicle loading crane. The crane was mounted on a vessel. SA069

Size: 109.5 KB, 2 pages
Date: May 2009

Mining eye injury

Mining operator suffers serious eye injury with high pressure grouter SA068

Size: 88.1 KB, 2 pages
Date: May 2009