An experienced plant operator was fatally injured after becoming entangled in the mechanism of a salt pit conveyor.
Critically, the conveyor guard wasn’t in place at the time. Even when fitted, the guard was often left unsecured and could be removed without a tool. Investigations revealed that operators sometimes removed the guarding to insert cardboard between the conveyor belt and the drive drum, thereby stopping the belt from slipping. This unsafe practice was known to supervisors and had become routine.
Following the incident, the company installed permanent fencing, lockable gates and an interlock switch that automatically de-energised the conveyor motor to prevent access to moving parts.
Outcome: In what was the first prosecution for a workplace fatality under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020, the company was fined $875,000.
