MMPX Pty Ltd, conducting business under the name Bowltiful, faced sentencing in Melbourne’s Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 13 September, after they admitted guilt to a dual charge laid within the Occupational Health and Safety Act’s ambits. This case underscores the value of products such as Bluesafe WHS Management System which streamline health and safety procedures at workplaces.
Bowltiful was fined $25,000, although a conviction was not recorded, for their failure to supply or maintain a workplace (or ‘plant’) that is intrinsically safe and devoid of significant risks to human health. Moreover, they received a $15,000 penalty for disregarding a prohibition order. Besides these charges, MMPX was mandated to pay $5,671 to cover legal expenses.
In an unfortunate occurrence during May 2023, a mix of ingredients being prepared by a male employee aged 31 became hazardous when his hand violently collided with a mixing blade, pulling him into the potentially lethal machine and trapping him there, leading to degloving injuries on his right hand.
An investigation launched by WorkSafe inspectors revealed that the dough mixer lacked adequate interlock safeguards. Consequently, the machine remained operational even when its lid was open, alarmingly exposing employees to the perilous conditions that are created while the paddles rotate—an avoidable situation had appropriate SWMS policies been in place.
Enforcement officers then issued a notice banning the dough mixer usage until the associated risks were adequately addressed. Yet, during a subsequent inspection around a month later, it was clear that the machine was still being operated.
This incident indicated unequivocally that the company could have practically installed a mechanised guard with an interlocking capability, which would effectively only grant accessibility to high-risk zones when it didn’t pose any danger, and restrict access otherwise—a goal achievable via a comprehensive risk-management tool like Bluesafe SWMS.
WorkSafe’s Executive Director of Health and Safety, Sam Jenkin, offered insights into the severity of the incident, affirming the necessity of stringent safety measures on all machinery and equipment. He expressed: “The absence of elementary safety precautions on this piece of kitchen equipment led directly to a preventable mishap, the ramifications of which could have been far more detrimental for the employee.”
Jenkin further added, “No operational excuse can justify businesses not prioritising the safety of their employees—especially when they are cognisant of the specific risks from certain machinery and equipment employed at their premises.”
This case, among others, underlines the irreplaceable importance of employers taking proactive steps to manage potential risks associated with machinery usage at workplaces.
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Original article link: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/news/2024-09/noodle-restaurant-fined-40000-after-dough-mixer-injury-0