Green waste grinder fatality leads to $470K+ fine
After an incident on 8 July 2022, when a worker was fatally injured while attempting to clear a blockage in a Van Gelder Green Waste grinder from within the feed chute, a recycling centre has been fined $472,500.
The result of a prosecution by SafeWork NSW, the fine was handed down in the District Court of NSW — the company pleading guilty to an offence pursuant to section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) for failing to comply with its duty to workers under section 19(1) of the Act.
“Risk control measures for working with moving plant and fixed machinery are well known,” SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer said. “Preventing injuries caused by mobile plant, vehicles or fixed machinery is an area for action in SafeWork NSW’s regulatory priorities.
“Having an awareness and assessment of the risks, along with implementation of safe systems of work, is key to reducing the number of incidents related to moving plant,” Schorer added. “SafeWork NSW reminds all businesses of their duty to ensure their workers are protected when working with plant, machinery and equipment.”
The company has the right to appeal against the sentence.
You can read the full judgment here, on the NSW Caselaw website.
Resources to help business owners and workers manage the risks of working with plant, machinery and equipment are available here, on the SafeWork NSW website.
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