Another Roofmart worker has suffered a serious hand injury at the firm's metal fabrication factory in Kewdale.

The latest incident occurred as the TWU embarked on a joint campaign with the Australian Manufacturing Union to improve workers wages, conditions and safety at the company.

The injured man is a member of the AMWU - commonly known as the Metalworkers Union.

Kerry Harper had his hand crushed in the metal pressing machine (pictured).

The incident occurred on February 2 just after Kerry started work.

He had to have two of his fingers amputated and a third still needs surgery. He is undergoing therapy to help his recovery.

The machine Kerry was working on had inferior guarding and was able to start while Kerry's hands were under the press.

This accident was avoidable and should never have happened.

To make matters worse Kerry says his head was injured during the attempt to get him out of the machine.

He woke up in hospital with a large welt on his head where a bar used to pry him from the machine had slipped.

Roofmart have a shocking safety record.

Other recent incidents include a workers fingers being crushed in a hole cutting machine and another where an employee broke his leg.

Workers have described the factory as a minefield littered with numerous safety hazards. This assertion has the full backing of both unions who regularly visit the site.

There have been numerous reports to Worksafe and improvement notices have been issued on the company. But there have been no prosecutions that we know of.

It seems cleanups of the factory occur immediately after serious accidents and prior to Worksafe's attendance.

The unions have sought full disclosure of all documentation relating to Roofmart's occupational health and safety records.

Worksafe have refused to provide them and the AMWU has made a FREEDOM OF INFORMATION APPLICATION aimed at obtaining all the facts.

ROOFMART SAFETY HAZARDS
The TWU and AMWU have identified a large number of safety issues that we want fixed, including:

• Lack of adequate guarding on machines.
• People working on unsafe machines.
• Inadequate barriers between forklift areas and pedestrians.
• Cluttered walkways.
• Lack of long sleeve uniforms to protect against cuts and burns.
• Metal hanging over walkways.

This one will not go away and there will be a full progress report in the next Wheel.

Since Terry's accident the AMWU and TWU have visited the site several times to step up the pressure on the company to keep it's workers safe.

We must all be vigilant about safety. You can't just leave it to the boss.