This article from Radio NZ left me in a cold sweat. Man left tetraplegic by work incident wins $300k It effectively demonstrates the symbiotic relationship between asset management and effective safety systems.
What Happened?
- The worker lay undiscovered and unable to move for several hours after he was struck on the back of the neck by a harvester in a remote location
- He was paralysed from the neck down and requiring 24-hour care
- The machine had been in use since 1996 and not properly maintained
- No Risk/Hazard Assessment had been carried out for the machine
- The worker had not been trained to use the machine
- There was no emergency plan
- The employer did not refer the incident to WorksafeNZ within 2 weeks
What the court said:
- Wai Shing Ltd and its director Franklin Wai Shing were both fined $50,000 and ordered to pay the man $336,300 in reparation.
- They were charged under section 6 of the Health and Safety in Employment Act (1992) for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its employee while at work.
NB: If the case has been tried under the new act the fines would have been much higher
What can we learn for our own Asset Management and Safety Systems?
- In a perfect world if you get a new piece of machinery or plant a full HAZOP (Hazard Operability Assessment) will be carried out by a suitably qualified person
- At the very least complete a Risk Assessment, create Standard Operating Procedures and develop an Operator Training Plan/Induction programme
- Asset Management and Safety Management have a symbiotic relationship. Regularly scheduled maintenance checks are important
- Create Emergency Plans, especially when you have people who work remotely or on their own (I’m a huge fan of “Get Home Safe”)
- It is better to notify WorksafeNZ and take a front foot on the investigation then let the worker’s wife do it for you
Ultimately, I am left scratching my head over this one. I just can’t understand how an organisation can purchase a machine that is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and not establish the asset management and safety systems to keep it running efficiently. Hopefully, the agricultural industry will be reviewing it’s use of harvesters and how it manages its interface between humans and their machines.
Have a safe and productive week and as always if you have any thoughts or feedback send me an email or give me a call.