Holiday work injury sees abattoir fined

Lobethal Abattoirs, a meat processor based in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia, has been convicted and fined over an incident in which a teenager was injured during holiday work. The company was fined $45,500 plus costs, having earlier pleaded guilty to breaching workplace safety laws in that it failed to ensure the safety of an employee.

SafeWork SA prosecuted after investigating the circumstances behind an injury sustained by the then-16 year old in January 2009, his last day of work before returning to school the following week. The youth was employed as a process worker at the company’s Lobethal facility, which is part of the larger T&R Group. As part of his duties, he had to hand-stretch sheep hides into the automatic clamp of a hide pulling machine. During this task, his gloved finger was caught by the machine. He was able to pull free, but the court was told the young worker had sustained a broken knuckle and a severe laceration to his left index finger. The injury permanently impaired the functioning of his finger. It disrupted his engineering studies at school, delayed his application to the Air Force and cost him a sponsorship for mountain bike racing. His employer has since made reparations to cover these losses, and he intends to pursue a mechanical apprenticeship next year.

SafeWork SA says the case serves as a warning to all employers set to take on young workers over the coming holiday break to ensure their safety by providing safe systems of work, safe equipment and all necessary training, instruction and supervision.

Magistrate Lieschke noted this was the second offence by Lobethal Abbattoirs under similar circumstances; meaning it was liable to a higher maximum fine of $600,000, double that for a first offence. Nevertheless he discounted the fine by 30% to account for the guilty plea, cooperation and extensive reparations made to the victim.

With many young people set to begin casual or other work from now into the New Year, employers need to ensure their work places and work processes are safe, and take into account the inexperience and vulnerability that puts young employees at a higher risk of harm, said SafeWork SA Acting Executive Director Bryan Russell.