Lack of training and not following manufacturer guidelines contributing to incidents involving plant

Background

Four separate incidents have occurred in the last three months involving plant, with a lack of training and not following manufacturer guidelines contributing to all incidents. Three of the incidents resulted in injuries to workers.

Incident one: In December 2024, a worker operating machinery which melted polystyrene for recycling was seriously burnt. Initial Inspector enquires indicate the machine had been modified which may have led to a blockage of the melted polystyrene.

When the worker attempted to clear the blockage, the build-up in pressure caused the melted polystyrene to spray onto the worker seriously burning them.

The modifications and the method the worker used to clear the blockage was not in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Incidents two to four: Three incidents of formwork collapsing occurred across several construction sites in Darwin in February. In two of the incidents, a worker was injured after being hit in the head by portions of the collapsing formwork. In the third incident, 15 metres of formwork collapsed, but fortunately no workers were injured.

Initial Inspector enquires indicate workers may not have been appropriately trained in installing or dismantling the formwork and some of the installations may not have been to manufactures guidelines.

Safety Information

Plant includes machinery, equipment, appliances, containers, implements and tools and any components or anything fitted or connected to those things. Plant are a major cause of work-related death and serious injury nationally. NT WorkSafe strongly urges all workplaces undertaking similar activities to ensure the following measures are in place, and that they are effective:

1. Undertake Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC) beginning by identifying hazards related to the use of plant in the workplace using the Hazard Checklist, which is Appendix C of the Managing the risks of plant in the workplace Code of Practice
2. Consider available control measures and implement the control measures that most effectively eliminate or minimise the risks so far as is reasonably practicable
3. Follow the Northern Territory’s Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination Code of Practice, and consult your workers and their health and safety representatives when deciding how to manage the risks in the workplace, including when reviewing and making changes to existing processes
4. Discuss the hazards identified and the control measures you have implemented at your next toolbox talk or team meeting
5. Have systems which ensures all:
   • Workers and duty holders have information, including the manufacturer’s guidelines, about the plant which enables them to fulfil their responsibilities in managing the risks associated with the plant in the workplace
   • Persons in the workplace have appropriate training and instructions necessary to protect them from risks to their health and safety related to the use of plant in the workplace
   • Plant requiring registration, and all work requiring licencing is compliant
   • Persons in the workplace have appropriate PPE
6. Check your maintenance schedules and ensure that all plant and machinery is maintained and repaired according to the manufacturer’s specifications
   • Before making any modifications to the plant, consult with the plant manufacturer, and
7. Ensure workers complete pre-start checks before plant and machinery are operated.

Further Information

For further information, please refer to the following.

Incident information release

• Three workers seriously injured in separate plant (machinery) incidents
• Workers seriously injured using machinery and power tools (plant)

Codes of Practice

• How to manage work health and safety risks
• Managing the risks of plant in the workplace