Court: Barbers Sawmill admits breach after worker’s hand crushed

A Tasmanian sawmill in operation since the 1970s has pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a health and safety duty after a worker’s hand was burnt and crushed in a conveyor belt.

A northern Tasmania sawmill which has been in operation nearly 45 years has pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a health and safety duty after a casual employee’s hand was burnt and crushed in a conveyor belt.

G.L. & V.N. Barber Pty Ltd, trading as Barbers Sawmill, pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court on Tuesday to the breach of s32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012, which occurred in August 2019 at its Exeter facility.

According to court documents, casual employee David Stenhouse was using a shovel to move sawdust from the floor of the ‘chipper room’ onto a conveyor belt.

Mr Stenhouse, who was wearing gloves, used his hands to try and remove sawdust from a part of the belt, when the belt latched on to one of the gloves and pulled his hand into the machinery.

Barbers Sawmill representative Michael Barber leaving Launceston Magistrates Court after G.L. & V.N. Barber Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to a charge of failure to comply with health and safety duty. Picture: Alex Treacy

The employee suffered “burns and a crushing injury” to his hand, the complaint said.

Barbers Sawmill failed in their duty as there was no guard installed on the conveyor belt, no risk assessment had been performed on the conveyor belt’s operations, no induction program had been offered to Mr Stenhouse enabling him to identify the hazard, and there had not been adequate training.

While an isolation procedure for the conveyor belt had been “developed” at the time of Mr Stenhouse’s injury, it was only “implemented” after the incident occurred, the complaint said.

Guarding for the conveyor belt was also installed subsequent to the injury.

The serious injury which might result from the failure and the “obvious” nature of the harm which could result meant it was “reasonably practicable” for Barbers Sawmill to mitigate the risk, the complaint said.

Barbers Sawmill in 2014. Picture: File

Sawmill representative Michael Barber was present in court for lawyer Luke Taylor to enter the plea on the company’s behalf.

Four additional charges of failing to comply with an improvement notice were discontinued by the prosecution.

The sentence was adjourned to May 31 to enable the prosecution to prepare a victim impact statement from Mr Stenhouse.