Worksafe Awards 2018 Finalist

Southern Metropolitan Cemetery Trust is excited to announce the recent recognition as one of the top three finalists at the WorkSafe Awards 2018External site in the Best Solution to a Manual Handling Issue category.

SMCT was one of over 175 nominations into this prestigious annual WorkSafe Awards, now in their 30th year.

Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust offers a number of memorial options including mausoleums. Traditionally the face of the crypt (shutter) is made of granite that can weigh up to 100kg and may need to be removed up to eight times from the time of purchase. This process was identified as a risk due to the weight of these shutters and the physical position that employees need to assume to complete the task.

Following extensive research and consultation, including discussions with engineering and operations employees, SMCT designed a plant attachment to allow mechanical lifting of shutters during interments.

The simple, yet effective Dellar Shutter Removal Attachment attaches to existing equipment and removes the risk of manual handling injuries associated with manoeuvring large pieces of marble or granite. It also eliminates employees having to adopt awkward postures and angles.

Since its introduction, the organisation has had zero manual handling incidents in relation to this task.