Workplace safety fears after poultry worker decapitated at Baiada plant

Staff writers From: news.com.au December 03, 2010 9

UNIONS say they are horrified at the decapitation death of a
Melbourne poultry worker who died as he cleaned a machine.

In August this year, Sarel Singh, 34, was killed instantly when
he was sucked into a machine and decapitated while working
at a Baiada poultry processing plant in Melbourne's west.

A preliminary report on the workplace death, obtained by
ABC's Lateline, found Australia's largest poultry manufacturer
had breached occupational health and safety laws by not
controlling risks at the plant, ABC News reports.

Tim Kennedy from the National Union of Workers (NUW)
was horrified by the incident.

"It is absolutely horrific in a civilised society that we have now
the fact that these things still occur, it is just not acceptable,"
he said, according to ABC News.

Six weeks earlier, Lateline revealed Baiada was already under
investigation over claims of unlawful and unethical treatment of
its majority migrant workforce.

Singh's brother, Harry, said Sarel had immigrated from India
four years ago in the hope of finding a better life in Australia.

But he said his brother had found his job at Baiada "hell" and
that he was planning on returning to India.

"He used to say that life working at that place was like a hell.
It's a very hard job and he was tired of that job. But due to the
burden of the loans and debts over here and in Australia too,
he had to work over there and he was struggling hard."

According to NUW, Sarel had just finished a four-hour shift
when he was asked to go back and re-clean a pack line area.

Sarel was standing on a ladder hosing the area down when he
was swept into a machine and decapitated.

Mr Kennedy said Sarel was not familiar with the line and that
the chain line should have been stopped while it was being cleaned.

"Over time what has happened is the company, to maintain
production, to maintain the returns they want to get, has pushed
the risk to workers by speeding that chain up so they have run
the chain 20 to 40 birds per minute and people have been
asked to clean it," Mr Kennedy said, according to ABC News.

"The night on which Mr Singh was killed the chain was running
at absolute capacity."

The WorkSafe Victoria report confirmed the line was operating at
the top speed of 183 birds a minute and that "by not adequately
 controlling the risks associated with this plant, [Baiada poultry] is
in contravention of the requirements of section 21(1) and 21(2)(A)
of the occupational health and safety act," ABC News reports.

Lateline reportedly sought comment from both Baiada and
Ecowize, the company contracted to clean the production
areas of the poultry plant, but had received no response.

Harry told ABC News he was in shock over his brother's death.
"How can I believe it? My brother, he was my real brother and
only brother," he said

Comment 1 of 6
Jim of Richmond Posted at 9:51 AM December 03, 2010
Yes, this is absolutely tragic and should not happen. However
I would just love to ask this question - Tim Kennedy from the
National Union of Workers (NUW, isn't it your Unions's
responsibility to ensure your members have a safe working place?
Do the members not pay you dues to ensure their safety and
concerns are represented? I am pretty certain the answer is yes
and yes. So how about rather than you and your delegates just
pursuing more and more membership for fees, you actually
do your jobs!

Comment 2 of 6
Emma Posted at 9:53 AM December 03, 2010
What a disgrace!


Comment 3 of 6
guida is sick of lousy, careless employers Posted at 10:16 AM
December 03, 2010 No one is paid enough to be hurt or killed
on the job.


Comment 4 of 6
the Truth of Melbourne Posted at 10:17 AM December 03, 2010
The fact that such a thing can happen is a disgrace - particularly
given all the ads that tell us about all the work places being inspected
clearly Worksafe isn't doing its job well enough! Hope the new
government can do better. No doubt a huge fine is coming for the
companies involved.


Comment 5 of 6
Humanity Posted at 10:32 AM December 03, 2010
Devasting. A Human life is lost in pursuit of profit.


Comment 6 of 6
No one deserves this Posted at 10:47 AM December 03, 2010
These are the blokes that should be treated like gold by their
employers, no one else wants these jobs, just ask centrelink.
My sincere condolences to Sarel's family