Worker trapped in plant

Ways to manage health and safety

Effective risk management starts with a commitment to health and safety from those who manage the business. If an incident occurs, you will need to show the regulator that you have used an effective risk management process. This responsibility is covered by your primary duty of care in the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

Use the hierarchy of controls to help decide how to eliminate and reduce risks in your place of work. The hierarchy of controls ranks types of control methods from the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest. It is a step-by-step approach to eliminating or reducing risks. You must work through the hierarchy of controls when managing risks, with the aim of eliminating the hazard, which is the most effective control.

Further information about the hierarchy of controls and managing risks.

Possible control measures to prevent similar incidents

PCBUs must ensure all plant is safe and inspected and maintained by a competent person in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations.

Charge buckets and similar buckets/ladles with heavy lifting frames should be designed so that the lifting frame can be easily locked in place when the device is removed from a crane hook and stored so that it cannot inadvertently drop.

If not designed with a locking mechanism they should be stored with the lifting arm lowered or locked/restrained in its vertical position and the locking system not removed until the unit is hanging from a crane hook (otherwise the person moving the locking system could be struck when removing).

A safe system of work should be implemented to manage the risks associated with inspection and maintenance of plant. The manufacturer's instructions should be included in a safe work procedure on how inspection and maintenance should be carried out. PCBUs must also provide information, training, and instruction to a worker that is suitable and adequate to:

• the nature of the work to be carried out by the worker
• the nature of the risks associated with the work (at the time the information, training or instruction is provided)
• the control measures implemented to deal with these risks.

Before operating any piece of plant, the person with management or control of it must ensure:

• the plant selected for the work is:
  • suitable for the task
  • fitted with appropriate safety features
  • maintained in a safe condition, including all safety features are correctly adjusted and operating correctly.

More generally, the person with management or control must ensure:

• the design and implementation of a traffic management plan, including identifying suitable exclusion zones and communicating these to workers and other people in the vicinity before tasks are carried out
• the use of a spotter where required, including suitable means of communication between the spotter and operator (using two-way radio) to assist with the safe movement of the plant, particularly where there may be blind spots or other workers or people in the vicinity
• ground conditions and the intended travel pathway have been inspected and assessed to identify any problem areas (sloping ground or soft/uncompacted ground)
• there is adequate lighting to safely operate the plant
• the manufacturer's operating instructions have been read and are followed
• untrained or inexperienced workers should not operate the plant, particularly in unfamiliar or high-risk terrain or for unfamiliar tasks
• relevant information, training, instruction and supervision necessary to control the risks associated with the plant is provided
• training programs should be practical and ‘hands on’ and take into account particular needs of workers like literacy levels, work experience and specific skills required for safe use of the plant
• ensuring worker training, experience, and competency aligns with the requirements and complexity of the task
• familiarisation training and competency assessment on the particular make and model of the plant should be documented.

Any remaining risk must be minimised with suitable personal protective equipment. For example:

• use hard hats, steel cap boots, eye protection, hearing protection and high visibility vests.
• safety footwear should be:
  • suitable for the type of work and environment
  • comfortable with an adequate non-slip sole and appropriate tread
  • checked regularly to ensure treads are not worn away or clogged with contaminants.

Administrative control measures and PPE rely on human behaviour and supervision. If used on their own, they are least effective in minimising risks. The control measures you put in place should be reviewed regularly to make sure they work as planned.