A worker at the Royal Australian Mint (RAM) was almost crushed by a three-tonne coin blanking press, a national work safety investigation has revealed.
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External contractors were moving the press with a forklift when the three-tonne tool became unbalanced and fell, narrowly missing a worker standing nearby in May 2019.
Following an investigation by Comcare, the national work health and safety regulator, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions filed three charges alleging the Mint failed in its duties under the federal work health and safety act.
Comcare alleged the Mint failed to provide a safe system of work and a safe work environment, and failed to provide the contractor with an adequate Safe Work Method Statement for transporting the coin press.
The Royal Australian Mint is set to spend more than $1 million on workplace health and safety improvements under an enforceable undertaking accepted by Comcare as an alternative to the prosecution, which was formally discontinued in the ACT Magistrates Court.
Comcare's head of regulatory operations Justin Napier said the undertaking involved a number of legally binding commitments.
"The RAM has provided assurances to Comcare that it has rectified the training of staff for high-risk activities, created a new contractor-specific induction, and revised the risk management system across the organisation," he said.
"The deliverables proposed in the WHS undertaking will result in further measurable improvements to WHS outcomes for the workplace, industry, and community."
The Mint's undertakings include a range of actions, including funding the development of guidance and training for mobile plant and contractor management, to be available industry-wide and developing and installing an interactive display in the Mint's gallery to promote public understanding of WHS practices.
The national institution is also required to develop and deliver a safety culture program and partner with the Australian Institute of Health and Safety to administer a workplace safety improvement program designed to reduce incidents involving pedestrians and forklifts.
Spending on the enforceable undertaking is estimated at $1.1 million over two years from 2026.
Lucy Arundell
Lucy is an ACT Legislative Assembly reporter for The Canberra Times. She previously worked as the city reporter. Got a tip? Email her at lucy.arundell@canberratimes.com.au or securely at lucy.arun@proton.me.
