We are all very familiar with hand sanitiser stations placed in every public building, since the Covid pandemic, but this is the first case we are aware of where a business has been charged over their lack of a risk assessment on its use and the alternatives they should have considered.
A federal government department has been charged with breaches of workplace safety laws for failing to control the fire risk posed by alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
The background to this case involves an incident in the National Science and Technology Centre, where a 9-year old student visitor suffered burns at Questacon in Canberra. The student was touching a plasma globe exhibit when the alcohol-based hand sanitiser ignited, causing burns to his hands and wrists.
The federal workplace safety authority, Comcare, found the student had used alcohol-based hand sanitiser supplied by Questacon, and a spark from the plasma globe ignited the chemical.
It is alleged the department breached its primary duty of care, and could have eliminated or minimised the risk by:
Removing its plasma globes after discovering the fire risk created by alcohol-based sanitiser, or
Limited the use and operation of the plasma globes to trained Questacon workers, or
Provided non-alcohol-based hand sanitisers, or
Provided portable soap and water handwashing stations instead of alcohol-based hand sanitiser; and
Warning visitors to the facility about the risk of spark ignition and fire.
During the Covid pandemic no one questioned alcohol-based hand sanitisers, and indeed the Health Department rejected use of non-alcohol hand sanitisers and insisted sanitisers contain at least 70% alcohol content. How quickly things change.
We will update readers on this case when it is concluded in the ACT Magistrates court.
