Latest news with #WorkHealthandSafetyAct2012
7NEWS
20-05-2025
- 7NEWS
SafeWork SA lodges criminal proceedings against AGL for alleged lead exposure
A workplace ombudsman will take South Australia's largest electricity company to court over alleged workplace breaches. SafeWork SA has lodged criminal proceedings against AGL Torrens Island Pty Ltd, alleging the company exposed workers to unsafe levels of lead during the decommissioning of its 'A' power station. SafeWork SA launched the action in the South Australian Employment Court on May 16, following an investigation. AGL Torrens Island engaged the workers to decommission the 'A' power station between October 2022 and April 2023. The work involved de-energising, or preparing to de-energise, cabling throughout the power station., which allegedly exposed the workers to lead or lead dust. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was provided – but SafeworkSA alleges that this did not include a full-face respirator. Safework SA said that five workers allegedly recorded an elevated blood lead level subsequent to the work. It is alleged that AGL Torrens Island Pty's failure to comply with its health and safety duty exposed workers to unsafe levels of lead. SafeWork SA has charged AGL Torrens Island Pty Limited with a Category 2 offence under section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012. The maximum penalty for a Category 2 offence for a body corporate is $1.5 million.
ABC News
30-04-2025
- ABC News
Lochert Bros fined $129k over 22yo worker's serious degloving injury
A Riverland citrus exporting company has been fined $129,000 after an employee was degloved in a workplace incident. In March 2023, a 22-year-old employee's left forearm was degloved and suffered lacerations while working at a Lochert Bros Pty Ltd citrus packing facility in Ramco, South Australia. In an online judgement from the South Australian Employment Tribunal, the incident was said to have taken place when the employee reached into a high-pressure washing machine while it was operating to dislodge stuck oranges. The machine was designed by the company and custom built approximately 30 years prior. The sleeve of the victim's jacket became caught in a pinch point and her arm was pulled by the rotating drive chain into the pusher bars. She suffered a degloving injury between her elbow and wrist and underwent surgery at the Royal Adelaide Hospital which included a "split thickness" graft from her left thigh. Tribunal deputy president Stephen Lieschke said the injuries were "extensive and severe". Charged on two counts The company was charged on two counts: committing a Category 2 offence against the Work Health and Safety Act 2012, and failing to ensure the pressure washer's emergency stop control complied with Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012. It was found the control "was not prominent", nor was it "clearly and durably marked and immediately accessible to each worker operating the plant". It was also not coloured red. The particulars of the offence also found the company had failed to provide "information, training, instruction or supervision" to protect workers from risks. Mr Lieschke said Lochert Bros entered an early guilty plea within four weeks of its first appearance, allowing for a reduction in penalty. A conviction was recorded for each count, a fine of $129,000 was issued and Lochert Bros was ordered to contribute to the informant's legal costs. Safety compliance priority SafeWork SA was notified of the incident and investigators attended the workplace on March 10, 2023. Lochert Brothers was issued with 44 improvement notices by SafeWork following several compliance inspections in the months after, including 18 relating to inadequate machinery guarding. On 20 June 2023, the company advised SafeWork SA it had spent a total of $12,669.98 on repairs and safety upgrades to the pressure washer post-incident. The tribunal heard that following the incident Lochert had appointed Liz Fourie as a chief executive and the company had since spent more than $250,000 on various safety upgrades. The workplace incident occured in Ramco, in South Australia's Riverland West region. ( ABC Riverland: Anita Ward ) Lochert Bros said it conducted an audit of its safety compliance where the incident occurred, and that it planned to arrange a similar audit of its transport division and site. Mr Lieschke said the victim had "made a good recovery", felt supported by Lochert Bros with ongoing employment and had taken note of the safety improvements. However, he said the victim had 'unnecessarily struggled financially while [still] recovering', after she did not receive her entitled workers' compensation for unexplained reasons. Mr Lieschke said Lochert had acknowledged income support should not have been lost, and a voluntary ex gratia payment of $20,000 was made to the victim before Christmas 2024. Lochert Bros was contacted for comment but did not respond before publishing.
