Australian Paper Tasmania (Tasmania)
Category 2: Best solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue
Australian Paper Tasmania has two paper mills in northwest Tasmania, Wesley Vale and Burnie, which employ more than 650 people.
Australian Paper’s solution focuses on its cutters area in the Conversion Business Unit at the Wesley Vale Mill.
High-risk safety issues had been associated with the cutters’ process, including paper blockages, confined conditions and manual handling of paper reels. Numerous workers’ compensation claims for injuries sustained directly from performing these high-risk tasks had been paid out since 1997.
Australian Paper identified this OHS issue through hazard identification processes, safety communication processes, internal risk assessment processes, external task reviews and incident analysis.
High-risk manual handling tasks associated with the cutters’ area were eliminated following the introduction of belt conveyors to transfer rejected paper from the three cutters. Operation of the entire process is fully automated up to the stage where an operator uses a fork lift to remove completed bales weighing approximately 700 kg.
The solution has applied engineering controls to eliminate the hazard. The organisation engaged in consultation with plant operators to ensure that there was a clear understanding of the issue and that any solution would not create further risks of injury.
The solution is original and innovative within the context of the industry. Australian Paper was able to demonstrate that the solution had a significant impact on its operations.
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Page last updated: 03/05/2007