Nighttime dangers of poultry catching in the spotlight

Heavy criticism and a fine of AUS1.13 million (US$909,000) have been served on a poultry contracting firm in Australia following the death of a broiler-catcher in 2015.

(tashatuvango | Bigstock)
(tashatuvango | Bigstock)

Heavy criticism and a fine of AU$1.13 million (US$909,000) have been served on a poultry contracting firm in Australia following the death of a broiler-catcher in 2015.

At a magistrate’s court in the state of Victoria, contractor CK Crouch Pty Ltd has been found guilty of three breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 2004, according to the national safety-at-work agency, WorkSafe. Two of the charges related to failures to provide safe working conditions, and the third to inadequate training. The firm was also ordered to pay AU$3,200 (US$2,600) in legal costs.

In November of 2015, a member of the catching crew was severely injured and died as the result of a collision with a forklift truck. The contractor’s team was working late at night at a farm belonging to Baiada Poultry in Lethbridge, catching and loading broilers into cages that were then loaded onto a truck heading for the slaughterhouse.

To minimize stress to the birds, the lighting was dimmed, and the victim was wearing dark clothing when he was hit by the forklift. He suffered serious injuries at died at the scene.

The court was told that there was a clear risk of injury or death to employees working near a moving forklift in dark conditions.

It also heard that the contractor had written procedures, both for catching and loading chickens into the cages, and for workers’ safety around forklifts. However, the employees, including the forklift driver, had not been provided with the information or training on these procedures, the court heard.

WorkSafe’s investigation also revealed that the contractor neither provided reflective clothing to its employees nor required this to be worn.

“This company had safety procedures written down and even illustrated in a diagram, but they weren’t worth the paper they were on because they’d provided none of the information or training to their employees,” said WorkSafe Executive Director Health and Safety, Marnie Williams. “Tragically it cost a man his life and a family their loved one.”

Williams stressed that employers have a responsibility to provide a safe working environment, and this includes providing appropriate instruction and training to workers.

CK Crouch Pty Ltd filed for insolvency earlier this year.

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