Undertaking to deliver safety overhaul at Mint
The Royal Australian Mint will spend more than $1 million on workplace health and safety improvements under an enforceable undertaking accepted by Comcare.
The undertaking relates to a May 2019 incident where a coin blanking press, weighing around three tonnes, almost fell on a worker in Canberra.
External contractors were moving the press with a forklift when the press became unbalanced and fell, narrowly missing a worker standing nearby.
Following a Comcare investigation, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions filed three charges alleging the Mint failed in its duties under the federal Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act).
Comcare alleged the Mint failed to provide a safe system of work and a safe work environment, and failed to provide the contractor with an adequate Safe Work Method Statement for transporting the coin press.
The enforceable undertaking was accepted as an alternative to the prosecution, which was formally discontinued in the ACT Magistrates Court.
Comcare’s head of Regulatory Operations Justin Napier said the undertaking involved a number of legally binding commitments.
“The RAM has provided assurances to Comcare that it has rectified the training of staff for high-risk activities, created a new contractor-specific induction, and revised the risk management system across the organisation,” he said.
“The deliverables proposed in the WHS undertaking will result in further measurable improvements to WHS outcomes for the workplace, industry, and community.”
The Mint’s undertakings include:
- Funding the development of guidance and training for mobile plant and contractor management that will be available industry-wide
- Promoting community understanding of the importance of work health and safety through developing and installing an interactive display in the Mint’s gallery
- Developing and delivering a safety culture program for the Mint
- Partnering with the Australian Institute of Health and Safety to administer a workplace safety improvement program designed to reduce incidents involving pedestrians and forklifts.
Spending on the enforceable undertaking is estimated at $1.1 million over the next two years.
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