NT construction worker cops angle grinder to face
A 71�year�old Darwin tradie has been left with a gnarly scar along his throat, face and chest after a 9�inch angle grinder kicked up and into his face during renovation works on an industrial shed.
The incident occurred in early 2025 in the North Darwin suburb of Winnellie when the worker was standing on a step-ladder cutting steel wall frames above his head.
He had previously been using a 5�inch angle grinder to make the initial cuts but switched to the larger grinder in order to finish the job quicker.
Angle grinder incidents are no stranger to the Territory - in mid-2023 four separate angle grinder incidents injuring NT workers occurred within a five-week period.
One such incident involved a young apprentice boilermaker using an angle grinder to cut plates off a bumper bar when the grinder kicked back into his hand. The apprentice required surgery for over five hours but fortunately was successful in saving his thumb.
In a statement addressing the 71-year-old's incident, NTWorkSafe said one key risk factor was the decision to use a 9-inch (230 mm) angle grinder — a tool with significantly more power, torque and weight than its smaller counterparts.
This decision, it claims, made it harder to control, especially in the unstable position the worker was in.
NTWorkSafe also found standing on a ladder and working above shoulder height drastically reduced his ability to manage the grinder safely.
Investigators further found that the metal wall frame may have sagged due to previous cuts, potentially pinching the cutting disc.
Electrical hazards were also found to have potentially compounded the problem. The grinder had been plugged into a modified extension lead, which had a 15-amp socket connected to a 10-amp lead.
This setup allowed the lead to become overloaded.
Testing by NT WorkSafe suggested the faulty plug may have caused fluctuations in the electrical current, making the grinder unexpectedly stop and start during use. This inconsistency could have also played a role in the kick-back.
In 2022-2023, 2337 construction injury claims were processed in NT making up 11 per cent of total claims in the Territory. That figure represents 372 weeks of total lost work time amounting to almost $5 million in claims costs.
NTWorkSafe data also found being hit by moving objects accounted for 26.2 per cent of contruction injuries over the same time period, over half of which (54.4 per cent) were wounds, lacerations, amputations and internal organ damage.
NT WorkSafe urged employers and workers to reassess the use of 9-inch grinders on worksites in light of the incident. Several companies across the Northern Territory and Australia have voluntarily banned the tool following a high number of serious injuries and deaths.
'Ensure you have proper footing and balance when using a grinder, and you do not overreach. If you are cutting something at height, use an appropriate work platform that allows you to maintain your footing and balance.
'If you are cutting items that are upright or hanging, use props or clamps to prevent the item from sagging and pinching the cutting blade.
'Do not modify the electrical components of power tools or associated leads unless you are qualified. Ensure that the ampere capacity of any electrical leads matches the power requirements of the power tool.'
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