Men's Shed Incident - Townsville Upper Ross PCYC

An interesting news story on the local WIN News tonight about the temporary closure of the Upper Ross PCYC Men's Shed.

The limited information presented said that it had been closed since the 7th August 2018 - "SHED SHUTDOWN: The Upper Ross Men's Shed is closed while an investigation is underway, after a member reportedly had fingers sliced off in an horrific accident."

The PCYC are working with Worksafe QLD and co-operating fully to investigate the accident.

Link to WIN News FB page - https://www.facebook.com/WINNewsTownsville/


Food for thought and worth following this story if you are involved in Men's Shed or any other not for profit that facilitates hands on access to workshop machinery and tools.

We had a similar incident, no where near as bad, one of the volunteers had his right hand on the saw handle and his left hand holding the off cut, on the RHS of the saw, took some skin off, but fortunately no stitches were required.
The shed was closed for nearly 5 months, while there was an investigation, fortunately not by Workplace safety.
He doesn't go in the shed now, and ALL shed Volunteers, now have to do an online safety course before they can enter the shed. There will soon be a practical competency assessment done shortly.
Unfortunately there is NO excuse for stupidity.

The very interesting aspect of the news report is the - The PCYC are working with Worksafe QLD and co-operating fully to investigate the accident.

Understanding the role of Worksafe QLD in this investigation may clarify some of the contention about similar undertakings (Men's Sheds, Guilds, clubs etc) compliance with workplace health and safety safe operating procedures, machinery guarding, supervision, responsibilities of "volunteer workers," duties of management committee's etc.

Nothing like a bunch of bureaucrats to shut a place for half a year while they fumble to a solution.

I think they are even worse than the accident itself.

It would be interesting to have a dig on Facebook and dredge up some local chatter as to what happened...

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Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore

ALL shed Volunteers, now have to do an online safety course before they can enter the shed. There will soon be a practical competency assessment done shortly.
Unfortunately there is NO excuse for stupidity.

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Kryn, when you say an online safety coarse, is that one set up by yourselves or a public one that any organisation could utilise?

RE: Online learning.

This reminds me of when my son was on one of his "IT security spook activities". He dressed up as an organisation's IT officer and sweet talked his way into their main headquarters and planted a number of "devices" on their network to enable him to test hack into their IT system from the inside. While plugging one of the devices into a network socket inside a spare work cubicle he overheard a worker in the adjacent cubicle doing an online course on, guess what!, "IT security"!

Most online courses appear to be no better or worse for conventional content delivery - whereby the student memorises and provides an answer that gets them a pass. Effective OHS education usually requires significant attitude changes and/or personality transplants which is not so easy to do with any educational method.

Still I guess it's better than nothing. A few gory photos probably would help.

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Originally Posted by BobL

Still I guess it's better than nothing. A few gory photos probably would help.

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Yep, I'm afraid that's as good as it gets. Totally agree that hands on instruction doesn't necessarily work out much better. The old adage applies, 'You can't protect an idiot from themselves'. :2tsup: to the gory photo's.

[QUOTE=Treecycle;2108876]Kryn, when you say an online safety coarse, is that one set up by yourselves or a public one that any organisation could utilise?[QUOTE)

Hi Treecycle, It's a public one, our Volunteer Co-ordinator went online and found this.
There are several different packages to choose from. Pretty sure this is the one we used?

http://www.1300beonguard.com/forms/A...TECH-PACKS.pdf

The cost is around $400 and a yearly fee I think, I don't know much of that side of things.
It's based around school students knowledge, or lack there of!!!!
Ideal for someone that used to work in an office or similar, and wants to try woodwork.
The management committee, would/could pick the tools/equipment that would be found in a shed, and then set up the course for those particular items.
Hope this helps
Kryn

was a safety officer in a window manufacture factory and suggested that gory pictures would hit home was told that objections were made to the shock treatment.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mature one

was a safety officer in a window manufacture factory and suggested that gory pictures would hit home was told that objections were made to the shock treatment.

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That’s interesting when I did my automotive training years ago as a panel beater.
We were shown gory pictures and yes that hit home hard and fast.
A sill clamp letting go under ten tone pressure can make mince meat!!!!

Cheers Matt.

I wonder if the WorkSafe involvement is because they have a paid employee, or that the shed is associated with a PCYC? Nothing has happened at the mens shed where I am still a member after a member had to have some 100 stitches after a mangling the fingers on one hand on a TS. A recent thing I heard was a new main shed supervisor takes over in a few weeks so it will be interesting to hear how he runs things.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobL

Most online courses appear to be no better or worse for conventional content delivery - whereby the student memorises and provides an answer that gets them a pass.

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They are actually very very good at what they are designed to do, which is legal ass covering

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobL

I wonder if the WorkSafe involvement is because they have a paid employee, or that the shed is associated with a PCYC? Nothing has happened at the mens shed where I am still a member after a member had to have some 100 stitches after a mangling the fingers on one hand on a TS. A recent thing I heard was a new main shed supervisor takes over in a few weeks so it will be interesting to hear how he runs things.

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The “shed” is ran, owned, supplied by the PCYC so in essence they are liable for the safe running of the facility. Hence the requirement to have safety attachments left in place. I have heard a local rumour at the golf club, that the safety lot have been called in due to liability questions.


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Likewise I know of a MS incident that does not appear to have stopped the operation of the shed at all and it was a TS/hand injury. I know that in NSW that if an ambulance responds to an industrial accident of this kind the police are automatically responded as well.

I can think of two incidents at woodwork training facilities (one a maker who ran small classes on the side, the other a large facility with 10-20 students), and in both cases the owner/management went to some lengths to transport the injured person to hospital using their own private transport, pay any costs incurred, and generally "smooth things over". Presumably to avoid the blizzard of paperwork, insurance issues, and safety inspectors which would otherwise have resulted?