A Bendigo crane hire company has been charged with four offences in relation to the death of a man at a milk processing plant in Northern Victoria two years ago.
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WorkSafe has charged Big Hill Cranes, along with Cobram company A-1 Engineering and a New Zealand engineer, after a 59-year-old man was crushed to death and another man was seriously injured at a decommissioned cheese factory at Leitchville on December 6, 2017.
WorkSafe alleges Big Hill Cranes failed to ensure their work did not expose people to risks to their health and safety.
The company is accused of failing to ensure crane loads were not suspended over people; eliminate the risk of heavy equipment falling while being moved inside the shipping container; ensure that loads were lifted in a controlled manner; and undertake a risk assessment.
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WorkSafe alleges A-1 Engineering did not ensure employees were not working under suspended loads; provide a system that eliminated risks while loading heavy equipment into a shipping container; take measures to ensure heavy equipment would not fall; and ensure that loads were lifted in a controlled manner.
The company is also accused of failing to ensure its employees were properly qualified and experienced; provide supervision; provide information, instruction and training so work could be carried out safely; and undertake a risk assessment.
The engineer was not present on the day of the death, but was charged with four offences for allegedly failing to take reasonable care while being in charge of the workplace.
The engineer allegedly failed to provide a safe workplace and system of work; ensure people were qualified; ensure there was a supervisor in their absence; and undertake a risk assessment of the workplace.
The matter will go before the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on December 18 for a filing hearing.
Clarification: The initial version of this article should have quoted a Worksafe Victoria statement that "a 59-year-old man was killed and another man seriously injured when a condenser that had been craned into a shipping container fell and crushed them on December 6, 2017".
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