Workplace safety fears after poultry worker Sarel Singh decapitated at Baiada plant

AUSTRALIA'S meat and poultry industry is under review after a worker was decapitated while cleaning a fast moving machine at a Melbourne factory, ABC News reports.


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.

WorkSafe Victoria told Lateline the entire industry was now also under review.

It said, when it came to workplace safety, employers needed to do more than the bare minimum and that they were responsible for all of their employees.

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. 

'Only losers get bullied in the office'

IT is probably not the advice that anyone who has dealt with a workplace bully wants to hear.

 

But conflict resolution expert Gavan Podbury says that people who call themselves bullying victims are "losers" who need to learn how to resolve their own disputes.

 

Mr Podbury, a social Researcher and presenter, has conducted seminars around Australia teaching individuals and corporations how to communicate more effectively and deal with conflict.

 

"A lot of people talk about bullying these days (and) I'm going to be contentious and say that only losers call themselves victims," Mr Podbury said.

"Think about it – once you're in a position where you are complaining about being bullied, you’ve already lost.

 

"Australians need to acquire conflict resolution skills and they need to get the motivation to use them."
Mr Podbury said developing tools for positively resolving conflict is essential because relying on colleagues to solve your problems will earn you a bad reputation.


HOW do you deal with workplace bullies? Tell us below.

 

"Everyone says they won’t hold a complaint against you but they will," he said.
"It's easy to get a reputation as a whinger or a complainer, if you don't develop the skills necessary to deal with difficult people."

 

Bullying's high on workplaces

 

A report released by the Productivity Commission in August this year found that “the average cost of claims for work-related mental stress were much higher than the average cost for all workers’ compensation claims.”

 

The report took National Safe Work Australia (SWA) data showing a total of 5950 accepted or successful mental stress claims in 2007-08.

 

Australian Human Resources Institute head Serge Sardo said employers are responsible by law for preventing bullying in the workplace.

 

"There is also a strong moral obligation that is often neglected," Mr Sardo said.

 

He said that while many workplaces were becoming more effective at educating employees about bullying there were still problems "where the rubber hits the road."

"Even the most assertive, empowered and confident employee will not address bullying directly if they believe the culture of the organisation, particularly the leadership culture is not one that encourages employees to be assertive," he said.

 

"By allowing abusive managers to continue without reprimand because they achieve high sales … (you) send a clear message to employees that regardless of the espoused rhetoric, bullying remains tolerated in this organisation."

 

Dealing with bullies

 

According to Mr Podbury, recognising different personality traits is the first step to resolving a conflict.

 

"People basically are born with one of four quite different temperaments," he said.

 

"I refer to them as the blue, gold, green and orange temperaments. Most managers tend to have the green temperament - they are driven to achieve outcomes and are often insensitive to people’s needs and feelings."

 

Orange types need to have the opportunity to vary what they do, Mr Pobury said.

 

"Being in the same job for a long time is death to them… expect oranges to be always looking for something new - and preferably something active that has some adventure."

 

This contrasts with those with a blue temperament. They tend to be "natural people's people" who care deeply for others and are sensitive to their needs.

 

"Blues want you to say hello to them in the morning, and may be deeply offended if you don't," he said.

 

Finally, gold types tend to make up the vast majority of administration workers, Mr Podbury said.

 

"They are people who crave predictability and structure, (so you should) tell them what you want and leave them alone.

 

"Whatever you do, do not change the position of the goal posts - this upsets and alienates them. Golds who are under stress whinge a lot."

 

Top tips for dealing with conflict:

•  Remember the 3 As - for every situation you are in you can accept, alter or avoid the problem.
• Tell people what you can do, not what you can’t do – presenting solutions to an identified problem will help defuse the situation.
• Behaviour that's ignored is behaviour that's endorsed – most people will ignore a behaviour they disapprove of but complain to their friends or co-workers.
• Not all problems are solvable - sometimes you need to know how to cut your losses.
• Some problems are solvable but the solutions are not palatable - dealing with conflict means you will sometimes have to make hard decisions.

For support an advice contact can be made with the following organisations.

 

Lifeline - 13 11 14 (24-hour help line) www.lifeline.org.au

SANE Australia on 1800 18 SANE (7263) www.SANE.org

Beyondblue Info Line 1300 22 4636 http://www.beyondblue.org.au/