Worker’s fall leads to fine

Two companies have been convicted and fined over an incident in Melbourne’s north that left a man with serious injuries after falling nearly four metres from an unguarded conveyor belt. The man suffered a broken leg, wrist and thumb, sustained back injuries and was hospitalised for 13 weeks after the fall on 13 September 2005.

The man was an employee of Roan Services and a deemed employee of Future Universal Waste Services (formerly SKM Recycling). He was working at a Coolaroo site operated by Future Universal Waste Services when the incident occurred. He was working on a conveyor belt that sorted materials for recycling when he was instructed by his manager to fix the machine after it became blocked.

The court heard the injured worker was standing on the edge of the conveyor which gave way, causing him to fall onto the concrete floor nearly four metres below. A WorkSafe investigation found the conveyor had no handrails, nor was there any means of fall protection for workers engaged in the task of clearing the conveyor at the time of the incident.

Both companies pleaded guilty in the Melbourne County Court this month to one count each of failing to provide a safe working environment. In sentencing, Judge Smallwood referred to a previous case where SKM Recycling (now Future Universal Waste Services) was fined $50,000 after a worker’s hand was caught in a baling machine, but noted the company had endeavoured to improve their health and safety record. Future Universal Waste Services was convicted and fined $75,000 and Roan Services was convicted and fined $35,000.