Tegra Australia owns and operates a concrete manufacturing plant at Tumut, west of Canberra, providing premix concrete and materials to construction sites throughout New South Wales.
In the early hours of 12 November, 2009, the employee was working under concrete premix storage silos when a large amount of cement powder was accidentally released.
He inhaled the cement powder, which has permanently reduced his lung capacity to 35 per cent. No mask or other breathing equipment was being used at the time. The man has had serious health complications since the incident, including a heart attack, and is still unable to return to work.
A WorkCover investigation found an accidental release of cement was foreseeable and should have been planned for, including requiring all employees to wear facemasks while on site.
Tegra Australia had also failed to provide appropriate supervision, skills and training on what to do in the case of this type of emergency.
Tegra was charged with breaches of the NSW Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000. The company pleaded guilty and was fined $80,000 and legal costs by the Industrial Court of NSW.
WorkCover NSW general manager John Watson said the company?s failings were serious.
“Companies must maintain a high level of safety in everyday activities,” he said. “Working with heavy machinery in manufacturing plants like these can be dangerous. Mandating, and supervising, the wearing of facemasks is a well-known and practical way to improving safety.
“People need to also be trained in how to properly respond to an emergency.?
Source: Newswire