A Dandenong South supplier has been fined $30,000 after a crane operator was seriously injured two years ago.
The 19-year-old victim was using a bridge crane to move a 1.2-tonne pack of aluminium products at the Aluminium Specialties Group site at Pound Road West on 26 August 2022.
According to WorkSafe inspectors, the load was held by a sling at each end attached to a spreader bar with open hooks at four points.
As the worker lowered the load, one end of the sling was released from the hook. As a result, the load dropped and landed on the man.
He was transported to hospital with serious injuries.
WorkSafe inspectors found that the spreader bar’s open hooks had no safety catches, which increased the risk of the load uncontrollably falling to ground.
Normally bucket hooks – which have safety catches and are inexpensive – would be used, WorkSafe stated.
The risk was magnified due to the load passing near, between and over other objects. There was also an absence of an exclusion zone.
ASG – which employs about 200 staff in Victoria – pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe system of work at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 15 August.
It was fined without conviction and ordered to pay costs of $4200.
