12-year-old allowed to operate forklift

SafeWork SA has expressed its frustration and disappointment at the work practices of a developer who was fined after a worker was injured in an incident which saw a 12-year-old driving a forklift.

The court heard that in April 2004, at the company's Jetty Road premises, a male employee suffered a severe foot injury after being struck by a heavy steel trestle, which had been knocked off balance.

The court was further told that the trestle was struck by a forklift driven by the employer's 12-year-old son. The boy had no formal qualifications to operate the machine.

In handing down the penalty, Industrial Magistrate Michael Ardlie said it was the employer's responsibility to ensure that machinery such as forklifts were operated by qualified people. "The defendant in allowing (the boy) to operate the forklift, failed in respect to (the employee) to provide and maintain so far as was reasonably practicable a safe system of work."

It was also admitted that SafeWork SA was not notified, as it must be under the law once someone injured on a worksite is admitted to hospital as an in-patient.

"Forklifts can be high-risk pieces of equipment, even in competent hands," said SafeWork SA executive director, Michele Patterson.

"It saddens and disappoints us that a 12-year-old was put in such a position of danger and responsibility at the wheel of a forklift. However, it is the injured worker who still suffers physically, mentally and socially to this day as a result."