Salt pit conveyor death leads to $875,000 fine

In Western Australia, the death of a worker caught in the mechanism of a salt pit conveyor has led to a $875,000 fine for a salt processing company. W.A.S.S. Nominees Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain safe plant at the workplace and, by that failure, causing the death of a worker.

The guard for the part of the conveyor the worker got caught in was not in place at the time of the incident. When in place, the guard was not always securely fixed and could be removed without the use of a tool. When the guard had been removed was not able to be determined by the investigation; however, the investigation did identify that on occasion a problem arose with the conveyor belt slipping.

To keep the equipment operating, plant operators sometimes placed cardboard between the drive drum and the conveyor belt — and this involved removing guarding. The manufacturing managers were aware of the use of cardboard to address the conveyor belt slipping.

A permanent fence was erected around the salt pit conveyor following the incident, restricting access to all moving parts. It included an access gate fitted with a locked clasp and an interlock switch that de-energises the motor of the salt pit conveyor when the gate is opened. It cost $13,784 for the permanent fencing, access gate and interlock switch.

“The risks associated with machinery such as conveyors are well known,” WorkSafe WA Commissioner Sally North said, calling the case a tragic reminder of the importance of ensuring that effective guarding and isolation procedures are in place for all equipment with hazardous moving parts, specifically conveyors. “Nip points or entrapment points on conveyors must be guarded, and those guards must be effective and well maintained.”

North added, “Where any task requires a person to enter a hazardous area, such as close to a nip point, an isolation and lock-out process is required.” Since the Act took effect in March 2022, this is the first prosecution for a breach leading to a fatality under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020.

“Fatal incidents from inadequately guarded machinery are completely preventable and I call upon employers and workplace leaders to ensure robust controls are in place,” North said.

Image credit: iStock.com/Joesboy. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.