05:10 pm, Tuesday 5 October, 2010

A Hobart brick plant where a worker’s leg was amputated on September 23 has been allowed to resume operations by Workplace Standards.

The 25-year-old man’s lower body was trapped for more than an hour by a clay crusher in the New Town plant. A doctor had to perform an on-the-spot amputation to free the man from the equipment.

The accident may have been caused by the plant’s lock out procedures. According to Workplace Standards, the crusher had been stopped so debris can be removed. However, another worker who did not know the man was still inside restarted the machine.

The plant operator said in a statement that it had worked with the safety watchdog to introduce improvements in their safety systems.

Workplace Standards’ investigation into the industrial accident is ongoing.

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

07:22 am, Monday 27 September, 2010

A contract worker pinned by a machine in a Tasmanian brick plant had one of his legs amputated on the spot in order to free him.

The 25-year-old man’s lower body was crushed by an equipment, believed to be a clay crusher, at a work site in Gilbin St. for over an hour on Thursday.

He was freed after a doctor was called on site to perform the amputation.

Two Workplace Standards officers had visited the site to investigate the circumstances surrounding the industrial accident.

According to Workplace Standards Tasmania general manager Roy Ormerod, a prosecution will likely result following an accident such as this.

“We first investigate the cause of the accident, then work out where the systems failed which result in the injury, then make sure proper safety systems are put in place so it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

Mr Ormerod said a lockout and tagging system would have ensured the equipment was not activated until the area was cleared. He said they had not yet determined whether the company had this procedure in place.

About eight to twelve industrial-related deaths are reported in the state every year, which Mr Ormerod said are “way too many”.

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know