In January 2021, a worker was killed while operating an industrial shredding machine used to process bulk waste building materials.

Initial enquiries indicate he was attempting to remove a blockage from the shredding machine. Investigations are continuing and include scrutiny as to why the machine became operational.

Safety issues

Fixed plant, including industrial shredding machines, often have several different types of moving parts. Hazards associated with fixed plant include:

• rotating shafts, pulleys, gearing, cables, sprockets, or chains

• belt run-on points, chains, or cables

• crushing or shearing points such as roller feeds and conveyor feeds

• machine components that process and handle materials or product (i.e. move, flatten, level, cut, grind, pulp, crush, break or pulverise materials)

• unexpected movement of parts operated by hydraulic, electrical, electronic or remote control systems.

Workers performing tasks such as maintenance, repair, installation, service and cleaning on machines in all industry sectors are highly vulnerable and have a higher risk of being seriously injured or killed through inadvertent operation of machinery and equipment they are working in, on, or around.