Cherry Picker Topples Over, Injures Workers and Costs Employer

Workers Injured Cutting Tree Limbs

A Myaree, Australia tree lopper has been fined $12,000 (plus almost $1400 in costs) over an incident in which he and an employee were injured when an elevating work platform (EWP) they were using toppled over, according to Western Australia’s Department of Commerce.

Gerald Shields recently pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and was fined in the Rockingham Magistrates Court.

In May 2010, Shields was contracted by the Department of Housing and Works to carry out tree cutting services, and was engaged in lopping tree branches in Medina using an EWP (commonly known as a cherry picker).

Stabilizing Leg of “Cherry Picker” Sunk Into Ground & Toppled Over

Shields and an employee elevated the EWP booms to their full length to cut a limb from a tree, and when the lower boom was being lowered, the front passenger side stabilizer leg sunk into an old drain or soak well.

The EWP toppled over and the boom struck the ground. The two men were ejected from the bucket and landed on the roof of a nearby building. Shields suffered only minor scalp injuries, but his employee suffered a crush injury to his right wrist and forearm.

Spread Plates and Personal Protective Equipment Not Used

The court heard that the recommended spread plates were not used on the stabilizer legs on the soft ground, and that the safety interlock switch for the EWP was interfered with, allowing the boom to be elevated without the stabilizers being deployed, contrary to operating instructions.

It was also revealed that the men were not wearing safety harnesses or any other personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses or hearing protection, and that Shields did not ensure that any of his employees used PPE.

Shields had not carried out or ensured that adequate pre-start checks were carried out on the EWP, as evidenced by the facts that the safety interlock switch was taped down and that one of the controls was missing and had been replaced with a hammer.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Lex McCulloch added the case was a good example of an employer who completely disregarded the safety of his employees.

Falls Significant Cause of Workplace Death

“This employer seems to have had absolutely no regard for his own safety or that of his employees,” McCulloch said. “There have been many instances in WA of EWPs tipping over, resulting in serious and critical injuries and deaths. There were no safe systems of work in place for the operation of the EWP or for the protection of the employees.”

According to McCulloch, falls are a significant cause of workplace death, and 16 Western Australian workers have died as a result of falls in the last four years.

Author Michael B. Stack, CPA, Director of Operations, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in employer communication systems and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. He is a writer, speaker, and website publisher. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: mstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.

WORKERS COMP MANAGEMENT MANUAL: www.WCManual.com

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