Falling counterweight prompts safety alert


Wednesday, 25 September, 2019

Falling counterweight prompts safety alert

WorkSafe Victoria has issued a safety alert after a hoist failure on a mining site caused a 20 t counterweight to fall around 30 m from its operating position. Fortunately, the area below the counterweight was isolated by a fence and no-one was injured in the incident; however, the supporting structure was significantly damaged.

To prevent similar incidents, WorkSafe Victoria recommended that mining operators establish and implement a safety management system (SMS), identifying all mining hazards and health and safety risks onsite, so far as reasonably practicable, and effecting controls to eliminate or reduce those risks, as required under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017.

Mining operators should also perform regular maintenance and inspections on plants and associated structures and review their SMS as necessary.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Harris Shiffman

Related News

Calls for renewed focus as National Road Safety Week gets underway

Transport Australia, Safer Australian Roads and Highways Group, and the Australasian College of...

Green waste grinder fatality leads to $470K+ fine

After a worker was fatally injured while attempting to clear a blockage in a green waste grinder...

$550K fine after unsafely secured truck load is involved in fatal collision

After the ratchet strap securing an intake boom on a truck failed and was later involved in a...


  • All content Copyright © 2026 Westwick-Farrow Pty Ltd