Stakes are high in workplace safety

By BRIDGET COOK
WORKSAFE inspectors will be upping the ante for Casey businesses to control dangerous machines after 13 local employees had body parts amputated in workplace injuries in the past five years.
WorkSafe statistics have revealed that Casey is among the state’s highest for amputations due to workplace injuries, as well as reported injuries from machinery and equipment – with 227 claims made in the past five years.
As a result, Casey businesses have paid out almost $5 million to employees.
A recent spate of prosecutions and serious injuries involving dangerous machines across the state has prompted a WorkSafe call for businesses to do all they can to make machines safer and help reduce the number of injuries.
WorkSafe’s health and safety operations general manager Lisa Sturzenegger said there were still too many workers being hurt by common types of machines.
“If we’re going to keep Victoria the safest place to work, employers have to do more to control dangerous machines,” she said.
“We know they’re essential to many businesses, but they can be dangerous and must be controlled.
“The risks dangerous machines pose are well known, with cheap and effective solutions freely available.”
WorkSafe’s statistics revealed of the nearly 11,000 injuries related to dangerous machines in the last five years in Victoria, 71 per cent occurred in manufacturing, construction, transport, warehousing and storage industries.
441 body parts were amputated the state, with 98 per cent of all amputations involving hands and fingers being torn off the body.
Over the next 12 months, WorkSafe inspectors will be upping the ante on employers to control dangerous machines by ensuring they are properly guarded, have emergency controls in place and train and supervise their workers properly.
Inspectors will be issuing safety improvement notices to companies to ensure risks are controlled.
To find out more about how to make machines safe visit www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/plant.