View Training Dates for Your City

Filter By

  • No scheduled courses - please call us to discuss your requirements

A sawmill in Scotland has been fined approximately AUS$34,000 after an employee severely injured his arm at work.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the UK’s governing body for workplace health and safety, noted that the incident could have easily been avoided had the employer been on top of OHS practices.

At the time of the incident, which occurred in January 2010, the employee was operating a wood-stacking machine when he reached over a safety fence to retrieve an item.

As he did so, his arm was caught in a part of the machinery, pinning it against the fence and causing serious harm. His elbow was broken as a result, and he faced four months out of work as he recovered from surgery.

The HSE noted that while newer machines at the mill had proper safeguards in place, the employer had put staff at risk by allowing access through the safety fencing surrounding older ones. The fact they had implemented higher levels of protection on newer machines demonstrated they were negligent in not considering doing the same for the machine in question.

“This incident was entirely preventable,” HSE Inspector Russell Berry said in an October 29 media release.

“If the company had adopted a consistent approach to assessing the risks of all the machines at the site, the higher standard of protection that existed on the newer machines would have prevented this incident from occurring.”

Any business that relies on the use of heavy machinery must consider the threat it brings to its employees.

Make sure all equipment at your workplace has proper safeguards and barriers in place to protect staff. In addition, it is always wise to invest in OHS training to ensure your workers are kept up to date on the best safety practices for their line of work.

Latest OHS news

Asbestos awareness is essential to the safety of Australians

  A school in the Northern Territory recently evacuated part of its grounds due to the risk of asbestos exposure after infrastructure works were completed. Another report described an illeg...

Read more

How much money could better WHS training save your business?

  One person was injured at work every minute during the year ending June 2014, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. While not all of these accidents resulted in claims, this s...

Read more

Does better work health and safety practice improve your business’ bottom line?

  Profit is the main yardstick for success for most businesses in Australia.However, it's important to remember that profitability and productivity are affected by countless different fact...

Read more

The silent killer’s past: A long history of asbestos

  Asbestos, a material we now know as the silent killer, refers to a group naturally occurring fibres that can be found in large deposits under the earth. They are fine, durable and fire-re...

Read more

Testimonials

“In over 20 years of training, this was one of the best courses I’ve ever attended.”

Queensland Rail

“Great! The instructor made it interesting and enjoyable”

Leighton Contractors

” We heard that AlertForce delivers one of the best courses around so the boss decided to send me to Australia from New Zealand.”

Participant Public Course

“I liked the trainer’s positive outlook and uplifting approach towards completing the long day.”

Visionstream

“Very competent training course. Trainer was very knowledgeable on subject.”

Servicestream

“AlertForce provided an excellent trainer,  knowledgeable on the topic and allowed for active questioning.”

DHS

“Informative and concise training delivered at the right pace.”

AFMA.gov.au

“The Trainer was very engaging”

Fair Work Commission

“Interesting, informative, relevant.”

Airservices Australia

Payments & Security

Awards & Accreditations

Make an Enquiry:

Google Rating
4.5
Total Rating 4.5 out of 5 based on 696 reviews
×