03.06.2008

Scrap company fined for crane collapse

Metalcorp Recyclers, trading as Onesteel Recycling has been fined $26,000 following an accident at a Point Augusta railyard in 2005.

Investigations showed the winch and load gauge on the crane did not work, the truck driver was not certified to operate the crane, there was no safe operating procedure, manual or maintenance record for the crane, and the company had not performed hazard identification or risk assessments on the task.

The company pleaded guilty to one count of breaching Section 19 of the Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Act 1986, in failing to ensure the safety of an employee.

According to SafeWork SA, the incident occurred in November 2005, during an operation to shift scrap metal at the rail yards.
The truck driver was instructed to operate a mobile crane to load the scrap metal bins onto his vehicle. During this procedure, the crane toppled over and the driver escaped unharmed.

Because of the company’s early guilty plea, contrition and cooperation, the penalty was reduced by 20 percent.