Court: Barbers Sawmill warned over belts month before worker’s injury

WorkSafe officers warned a sawmill over its unguarded conveyor belts the month before a worker got his hand stuck in one, court hears. INJURY PICS – CONTENT WARNING.

A sawmill was warned about its unguarded conveyor belts by WorkSafe Tasmania officers the month before a worker got his hand lodged in one for up to 10 minutes, a court has heard.

G.L. & V.N. Barber Pty Ltd, trading as Barbers Sawmill at Exeter, previously pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court to a charge of failing to comply with a health and safety duty.

The facts were heard on Tuesday.

The court heard the injury occurred on August 27, 2019, when employee of about two months, David Stenhouse, was told to clean the ‘chipper room’, a task he had performed between 6–12 times previously.

Mr Stenhouse had received “no training” regarding the hazards of unguarded belts, had not been shown how to turn off the chipper room’s belt, nor shown the correct isolation procedure, the court was told.

On the morning of the incident, Mr Stenhouse was using a shovel and rake to clear sawdust massed underneath the belt when he attempted to remove a mass lodged underneath the belt, near the roller.

The belt caught his glove and pulled his hand in, leading to a “burning” sensation.

Mr Stenhouse “called for help” but no one was there and it took him five to 10 minutes to free his hand.

He sustained burn marks, a deep laceration and required a skin graph, the court heard.

Just one month prior to the incident, Barbers Sawmill received a visit from WorkSafe Tasmania officers following an anonymous tip-off which led to 14 improvement notices being issued.

Although none of the notices related specifically to the chipper room, at least one of the notices were for an unguarded conveyor belt elsewhere in the sawmill.

The day before Mr Stenhouse’s injury, managing director Michael Barber emailed WorkSafe to tell them nine of the notices had been complied with, while the other five would be complied with by the following afternoon.

Defence lawyer Luke Taylor told the court the sawmill, a family operation of 44 years, had no relevant history and was a “good corporate citizen otherwise”, sponsoring the local show society and improving its plant to provide more local jobs.

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

Mr Taylor said the incident was “distressing for everyone involved”.

Since its occurrence, the sawmill had implemented a new induction and training system, held regular toolbox meetings addressing on-site safety, and armed all employees with handheld radios to allow them to call for help if need be.

Magistrate Simon Brown reserved his decision on sentencing until July 20.