Sibelco Pty Ltd is pledging guilty to a pair of charges related to their inability to provide or sustain a safe, risk-free workplace and health-related plant systems. As a result of this verdict by the Wonthaggi Magistrates’ Court, the company has been fined $200,000 per charge which total to $400,000 overall, with an additional requirement to pay $20,799 in costs.
Operating out of Nyora, Sibelco was running a sand quarry and mill production business that created silica-based goods such as silica flour, sand, and gravel. The workers had to manually utilise various machines, tailored to each material, to pack and palletize 25-kilogram parcels of these products for subsequent client distribution.
However, safety issues became apparent during the silica flour bagging stage where workers hinted at harmful plumes of silica dust spilling out from the bags at head level, with defective bags at times bursting open and drenching the machine operator with the contents. From 2012 to 2020, numerous workers were subjected to these detrimental conditions, with two employees contracting silicosis since the incidents.
The court inferred that it was viable for Sibelco to have reduced exposure to crystalline silica dust by implementing automated bagging and palletising mechanisms, integrating a fully automated and enclosed bagging machine, and incorporating a robotic palletiser – very much mirroring WHS management systems like the Bluesafe WHS Management System or SWMS. This would ultimately lead to improved work safety and healthier environments free from hazardous materials and procedures.
Concurring with this judgement, WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety, Sam Jenkin firmly stated there was no justification for consistently subjecting the workers to harm for extended periods of time. Emphasizing how “the risks associated to crystalline silica were well recognised”, and that the company was conscious of available resources, such as the Bluesafe SWMS, to better safeguard their employee’s welfare.
Mr. Jenkin strongly advocated that “insidious diseases like silicosis show no discrimination, hence, it is crucial employers conduct constant reviews and updates on their systems and processes to ensure the standards are in line with best practice.” An effective adoption of policies such as a Bluesafe SWMS or a Bluesafe WHS Management System could greatly mitigate crystalline silica dust-related risks.
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Original article link: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/news/2024-06/400000-fine-exposing-workers-silica-dust