Retail-machinery and equipment
An 18 year old tyre fitter received serious injuries when a truck tyre he was inflating exploded and sent him 1.8 metres into the air. The fitting and checking of the tyre had not been completed properly, causing the accident.
An 18 year old lost a finger and fractured another when his hand became caught in a rotating blade of a power saw he was using at a hardware store. The saw had not been set up properly for use and did not have the right guards on.
A 16 year old apprentice butcher had to have his left hand amputated after suffering terrible injuries when his hand got caught in a meat mincing machine. The machine did not have a guard on.
A 16 year old worker, new to his job at a supermarket, injured his arm on a cardboard crushing machine. The metal pressure plate fell onto his arm. He had not been trained nor warned that the plate had previously come loose.
Machines play a big part in making your job easier but are a deadly weapon when not used properly.
The most common injuries are to hands and fingers, which may be cut sprained, dislocated, broken, crushed or severed.
How can you make sure that injuries do not happen to you?
You might think it's really easy to use a machine but:
- you need to be trained to use equipment properly
- you must be supervised when first using the machine
- 'guards' should always be on when you’re using machines unless specifically removed for cleaning and maintenance
- always wear the right PPE and clothing (your safety gear – gloves, glasses, apron)
- machines on work tops should be level and bolted down so they don't move when you use them
- if you are unsure about how to use the machine or you think the machine is not working properly, talk to your boss
- reduce the risk of cuts from cutting tools and sharp equipment by keeping cutting tools clean and sharp
Want to know more about guarding?