Government of Western Australia | A hay processing company in regional WA has been fined $595,000 and ordered to pay $5,510 costs over a serious worker injury.

HA Hold Co Pty Ltd pleaded guilty after a leading hand was injured in January 2023 when he climbed onto an unguarded conveyor belt at a Carani hay press, causing a degloving leg injury.

In 2022, a safety consultant warned of the unguarded area, but no guarding was installed until after the incident. The company lacked a documented procedure for clearing blockages, and installed a mesh guard only afterwards.

WorkSafe Victoria | A major builder will spend over $1 million to improve safety after an unloading incident caused life-threatening injuries.

In August 2022, at Rosebud Plaza, a 21-year-old assisting his father fell 1.6 m when a forklift struck an unsecured switchboard. The enforceable undertaking by Hutchinson Builders includes gate controls, safety zones, signage, training materials, a safety culture programme, network participation, and a $100,000 mental-health donation.

WorkSafe Victoria | An industrial plastics manufacturer was fined after a worker suffered life-threatening crush injuries.

In April 2022 at Class Plastics (Aust) Pty Ltd’s Truganina factory, a supervisor’s head was caught in a blow-moulding machine due to a disconnected interlock and taped sensors. The company was initially fined $40,000 without conviction; on appeal, the Melbourne County Court convicted and imposed a $75,000 fine plus $4,000 costs.

WorkSafe found regular interlock inspections and sensor checks were practicable to prevent such harm.

WorkSafe Victoria | A stonemasonry company was the first convicted under Victoria’s workplace manslaughter laws and fined $3 million over a worker’s death.

In October 2021, subcontractor Michael Tsahrelias died when a forklift driven by director Laith Hanna tipped over and crushed him at Universal Stone and Marble’s Somerton warehouse. The company and its director were originally fined $1.3 million and given a community corrections order, but on appeal, the company’s fine was increased to $3 million; an appeal against Hanna’s sentence was dismissed.

WorkSafe found the company failed to require forklifts to be driven with loads low to the ground, in reverse on slopes, or to keep workers clear of hazards, representing a negligent breach of duty that posed a high risk of death.

Government of Western Australia | A freight haulage company and its director were fined $400,000 over a worker’s serious injury.

In April 2021, an RGR Road Haulage employee dragging a container onto a tilt-truck tray suffered serious injuries when a chain snapped. The worker was untrained for the task. RGR Road Haulage Pty Ltd and director Richard Garrick Rowland pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe workplace and causing serious harm; RGR was fined $355,000, Rowland $45,000, plus $6,500 costs.

WorkSafe Victoria | A recycling company was convicted and fined $35,000 after an aerosol explosion injured six workers.

In May 2023, Rose and Co Services Pty Ltd’s aerosol shredder exploded at its Shepparton plant, causing severe burns to six workers. Investigations found pressurised cans were shredded with reduced ventilation and no requirement to empty them first, despite fire recommendations and previous fires.

The company pleaded guilty to workplace safety and dangerous goods offences and was fined $30,000 plus $5,000 and $5,292 costs.

Government of Western Australia | Alcoa was fined $400,000 and ordered to pay $5,536.70 costs after caustic solution burns at its Kwinana refinery.

In September 2022, a shift supervisor at Alcoa’s Kwinana alumina refinery opened a discharge valve during a pump changeover, causing an uncontrolled release of hot caustic solution that burned workers and visiting students. The supervisor left the valve open and the pump was started inadvertently.

Alcoa pleaded guilty to breaching the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA) and was fined $400,000 plus costs.

Government of Western Australia | Western Power has been fined $220,000 for the unsafe supply of electricity to a house in Wundowie, north-east of Perth, where two nearby residents received electric shocks and “the entire neighbourhood was at risk,” according to a magistrate.

At Perth Magistrates Court, the network operator pleaded guilty to two offences under WA’s Electricity Regulations 1947 following prosecution by Building and Energy.

The penalty is the largest fine against Western Power under laws that prohibit a network operator from supplying electricity to a premises without ensuring it is safe to do so. It follows seven prior convictions against Western Power for the same type of offence.

The court was told that in November 2022, two Western Power workers attended the Wundowie property where a private electrical contractor had installed a new consumer power pole. One Western Power worker noticed the newly installed meter had incorrect wiring, with the active and neutral conductors transposed, but did not take any action.

The transposed wiring enabled the electric current to bypass safety devices, putting the homeowners and neighbours at risk of electric shock if they touched metallic water pipes or earthed electrical appliances.

Shortly after reconnection, two nearby residents received electric shocks in their shower. Fortunately, they were not seriously injured.

Evidence presented in court also showed Western Power failed to follow its own procedure requiring completion of a notice of completion before reconnection. Although the utility had developed the procedure, it did not comply with it.

In addition to the $220,000 fine, Magistrate Catherine Crawford ordered Western Power to pay costs of $700, noting it was “only a matter of chance” that no serious injury or death resulted given the “extremely high” risk of harm and “the entire neighbourhood was at risk.”

The Northern Territory Supreme Court will hear an appeal from Darwin construction company Kalidonis NT Pty Ltd after it was convicted and fined for two incidents (12 March and 20 March 2020) in which chains snapped while towing an excavator, killing Paul Leach (50).

On 23 August 2024, the company was fined $400,000 and $550,000 concurrently, plus NT WorkSafe’s $70,000 costs and a $1,500 victim levy. The appeal is set for 14 April 2025.

He Co Pty Ltd (formerly Hemisphere Construction) and its director George Khouzame were each fined AU$100,000 plus costs for providing false information to the NSW EPA during a 2023 illegal dumping investigation of asbestos-contaminated waste in Canyonleigh. They must comply with the original statutory notice and a publication order.

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