Recent workplace incidents

Below is a quick summary of some workplace incidents that have occured in Australia.  Often these sorts of incidents can be useful in reinforcing safe work practices to employees and clients.

The Metropolitan Ambulance Service in Victoria reports the following work-related incidents

Angle Grinder Blade

“…(a) 55 year old man… told us he’d been working with an angle grinder when the blade snapped off and hit him in the left side of his chest.  The wound to his upper chest was quite deep but thankfully a towel had been used to slow the bleeding before we arrived.”

Drill to the wrist

“….the 20 year old tradesman had been working at the home when the accident happened. The man told us he’d been leaning his left arm against a wall, while using the drill.  Somehow he accidentally drilled into the back of his wrist.

‘Thankfully when we arrived the man already had a pressure bandage covering the wound and he hadn’t lost a lot of blood.”

Roofing injury

“A man suffered a deep cut to his leg in an accident on a Kinglake building site on Monday.

Paramedic team manager Steve Moody says the 30-year-old man wasn’t able to get down from the roof. ‘The man slipped on the roof and suffered a deep cut to the back of his leg,’ Mr Moody said.”

Queensland’s Department of Emergency Services reports

Industrial fire

“Five fire crews are currently (10 February 2010) at the scene of an industrial fire on the corner of Fairfield Road and Chale Street. The fire broke out around 3pm when smoke was reportedly coming from a conveyer (sic) belt at the food manufacturing business. All occupants of the building have been evacuated and there have been no reports of injuries at this time. Firefighters have located a fire in a motor which is inside a silo at the site and has been contained to this area. ………”

Tractor incident (possible a workplace incident)

“A tractor fell on a man on a property on Bowman Road, Blackbutt around 1pm. The man was able to free himself and was treated by Queensland Ambulance Service at the scene for suspected fractured ribs and pelvis……”

Kevin Jones