$300,000 fine for garbage truck death

A waste disposal company has been convicted following the death of one of its workers in Victoria back in April 2019. Country Cart Pty Ltd fronted court this month, where it was fined $250,000 for failing to maintain safe plant, and a further $50,000 for failing to provide or maintain safe systems of work.

The incident

A garbage truck driver was working at a property in Leongatha South when he engaged the parking brake and got out of the truck to open a gate. The brake failed, the truck rolled forward and crushed the driver against the gate.

The investigation

VicRoads investigated the incident and discovered the garbage truck was unroadworthy at the time of the fatality. The truck’s parking brake was found to be faulty; it was also overdue for all required services and had multiple other defects.

What can I do to avoid this with my mobile plant?

There are a few simple ways to reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic incident involving your machinery. These include:

• Conducting regular servicing and maintenance on machinery to ensure any defects or hazards are identified and rectified.

• Completing a non generic pre-start check on the vehicle or machine prior to use. Ideally the pre-start process should attach risk ratings to items being checked, and identify the risk level associated with a non-conformance.

• Locking out vehicles and machinery with critical non-conformances until corrective actions have been undertaken.

• Undertaking regular risk assessments on vehicles and machinery to ensure hazards are treated in accordance with relevant legislation and other authority and in accordance with the risk assessment process.

• Implementing safe systems of work for machinery within your workplace or on your worksite. 

   

Plant Assessor can help you maintain the safety and compliance of your vehicles and machinery. More information on safety legislation is available here.

Our innovative platform will help you to complete risk assessments and pre-start checks on your machinery, determine when servicing and maintenance is due, and assist you with implementing control measures. 

If you would like further information about how Plant Assessor can help you to improve your machinery safety and compliance, contact our friendly team on 1300 728 852 or email info@assessor.com.au.

Disclaimer: This information is intended to provide general information on the subject matter. This is not intended as legal or expert advice for your specific situation. You should seek professional advice before acting or relying on the content of this information.