Three Territory workers were seriously injured using power tools and machinery in separate incidents over the last two months, including horrific incidents involving an amputated arm, a metal grinder hitting a worker in the face and fractured bones involving a wood chipper, NT WorkSafe has said.

The first incident, which happened on September 30 in Alice Springs, left a worker suffering serious lacerations after an angle grinder flew into the worker’s face. Investigations into the incident found the worker was grinding metal using a grinder without a side handle – which kicked back into the worker’s face, cutting through the face shield and causing serious injuries.

The second incident, which occurred on November 15, involved a worker in the Katherine Region whose arm was amputated after being crushed while operating a post driver attached to a tractor to hammer fence posts into the ground.

The latest incident, which occurred on November 19, involved a worker who was seriously hurt after being hit by a part of a wood chipper machine in Alice Springs.

Inquiries made by NT WorkSafe revealed that the worker was feeding a branch through the machine when it jammed the grinding disc guard, causing it to come loose and hit the victim. The victim suffered fractures and internal injuries.

NT WorkSafe said that machinery and power tools are a major cause of work-related death and serious injury nationally, and is urging all workplaces to do similar activities to ensure that proper and effective measures are always in place.

It also advised workplaces to undertake hazard identification, risk assessment and control at all times.

“Follow the Northern Territory’s Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination Code of Practice, and consult your workers and their health and safety representatives when deciding how to manage the risks in the workplace, including when reviewing and making changes to existing processes,” NT WorkSafe said.

A division of the Department of Attorney-General and Justice, NT WorkSafe assists businesses and workers to understand their obligations under work health and safety in work areas, rehabilitation and workers’ compensation in the Territory.