12/26/2025
📰 WorkSafe Investigates BBQ Tongs After Near-Miss With Sausage
Agency reminds public that “festive cooking remains a high-risk activity.”
WEST COAST — WorkSafe has launched an investigation after a sausage was nearly dropped during a backyard barbecue, narrowly avoiding what officials have described as a “potentially catastrophic protein incident.”
The near-miss occurred late Xmas afternoon when a set of stainless-steel BBQ tongs allegedly slipped during a routine sausage rotation, causing the meat to briefly dangle over the hotplate before being recovered.
No injuries were reported, though witnesses say the moment was “harrowing” and “changed the mood of the barbecue instantly.”
A WorkSafe spokesperson said the incident highlights the ongoing risks associated with informal cooking environments.
“BBQ tongs are often used casually, without proper induction, risk assessment, or appreciation of their pinch-point potential,” the spokesperson said. “This was a textbook near-miss involving uncontrolled meat movement.”
Initial findings suggest the operator was not wearing heat-resistant gloves, had not completed a Take-5 prior to tong deployment, and may have been distracted by unsolicited advice from another adult male standing nearby with a beer.
WorkSafe has confirmed it is reviewing whether the tongs were fit for purpose, properly certified, and being used within their intended sausage-handling parameters. Investigators are also assessing whether the barbecue itself should have had a designated spotter.
Local resident Willie Pizonya, who witnessed the incident, said the atmosphere shifted immediately.
“One minute everyone’s laughing, next minute the snag’s halfway off the grill. Someone gasped, someone swore, and nobody touched their drink for a good thirty seconds. That’s how close it was.”
Greymouth tradie Lou Skunt said the investigation was inevitable.
“People think BBQs are chill. They’re not. You’ve got heat, grease, meat, and five blokes telling you how to cook it. That’s a high-risk worksite if I’ve ever seen one.”
WorkSafe has issued interim guidance recommending:
Pre-use inspection of all BBQ utensils
One person designated as Tong Operator
Mandatory eye contact before sausage rotation
No more than two unsolicited comments per cook
A clearly marked exclusion zone around the hotplate
While no enforcement action has yet been taken, WorkSafe confirmed the incident will be logged as a “low-severity, high-learning opportunity” and referenced in future holiday safety briefings.
“Thankfully, this sausage survived,” the spokesperson said. “But next time, we might not be so lucky.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
