NSW Workcover Alert - dangers in processing tripe

Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) –
Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (WHS Regulation)
SAFETY ALERT
Release of hot liquid from abattoir cooking machine
This alert is about the dangers of hot liquid being suddenly released from
an abattoir cooking machine used to process tripe.
Background
WorkCover NSW recently responded to an incident where a worker at a meat processing facility suffered serious burns
after a mixture of hot water and offal product was suddenly expelled from a tripe cooking machine he was working next to.
The worker was completing maintenance on nearby plant when the pneumatic product chute on the tripe machine opened.
During normal operation, which is automated, liquid would first drain from the cooking machine prior to this opening, and
the product would then discharge down the open chute to another machine. Following an investigation, it appears the drain
had become blocked, causing a mixture of hot liquid and offal to spill over the product chute and onto the worker.
Contributing factors
The following factors contributed to the incident:
•• The worker had followed procedures for isolating the plant that he was working on, but this did not include
isolating nearby plant.
•• Hazards resulting from the blockage of the drain were not considered when risk assessments and safe working
procedures were developed.
•• The product chute was not fully guarded.
Action required
Persons conducting a business or undertaking that use plant must ensure that risks to the health and safety of workers
and others due to the plant is minimised as much as is reasonably practicable. When identifying hazards, you should also
consider proximity of the plant to workers and the potential for the unsafe release of energy stored within that plant –
for example, due to heat or pressure in the event of plant failure.
Persons conducting a business or undertaking must also develop safe work methods in consultation with workers, and
these safe work methods should consider any risks that arise from the plant in the vicinity of work being conducted.
Specific control measures
•• Persons conducting a business or undertaking that use tripe cooking machines should note the incident described
above and revise their risk assessments and safe working procedures accordingly if the potential for similar
incidents exists.
•• Consider guarding the product chute to prevent an overflow of discharged contents – see Figure 1 over the page,
showing guarding that has been put in place following the incident. Note that where guarding is used, it should not
introduce new hazards such as pinch points, sharp corners and edges, pressure build-up etc.
April 2012
•• Where practicable, cool the contents of the machine before allowing the product chute to open – for example,
by introducing cold water into the latter stages of the process.
•• When working on plant consider the potential risks from nearby machinery and, if appropriate, isolate and
de-energise nearby machinery.
Figure 1 – Product chute of the tripe cooker, unguarded (left) and after guarding fitted (right).
Further information
The WHS Act requires persons conducting a business or undertaking at a workplace to ensure, so far as is reasonably
practicable, that workers and other persons at a workplace are not exposed to risks arising from the business or
undertaking and that all workers are adequately trained and supervised.
Clauses 34 to 36 of the WHS Regulation places specific obligations on duty holders to identify reasonably foreseeable
hazards associated with work being undertaken, including hazards associated with any plant used, and then manage risks
accordingly.
•• How to manage work health and safety risks: Code of practice (catalogue no. WC03565) available at
workcover.nsw.gov.au
•• Visit workcover.nsw.gov.au or phone 13 10 50
This alert contains safety information made by WorkCover about an incident or unsafe practice. The information contained in this alert does not necessarily include the
outcome of WorkCover’s response to an incident or unsafe practice. WorkCover does not warrant that the information in this alert is complete or up-to-date and does not
accept any liability to any person because of the alert’s information or its use.
Disclaimer
This publication may contain work health and safety and workers compensation information. It may include some of your obligations under the various legislations that
WorkCover NSW administers. To ensure you comply with your legal obligations you must refer to the appropriate legislation.
Information on the latest laws can be checked by visiting the NSW legislation website (www.legislation.nsw.gov.au).
This publication does not represent a comprehensive statement of the law as it applies to particular problems or to individuals or as a substitute for legal advice.
You should seek independent legal advice if you need assistance on the application of the law to your situation.
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Catalogue No. WC03737 WorkCover Publications Hotline 1300 799 003
WorkCover NSW, 92-100 Donnison Street, Gosford, NSW 2250
Locked Bag 2906, Lisarow, NSW 2252 | WorkCover Assistance Service 13 10 50
Website workcover.nsw.gov.au
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