Port Lincoln Tuna Processors has been convicted and fined in the SA Industrial Relations Court over an incident where one of its workers had her fingertip amputated.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 19(1) of the Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Act 1986 in failing to provide a safe system of work.
The process operator and quality controller had been trying to clear a blockage at a point on the conveyor system where two conveyors joined.
Although she could not see the blockage, the worker reached up to clear it. In doing so, her right index finger became caught in a gap between the conveyor belt and a stainless steel slip tray.
Her fingertip was amputated, but she returned to work two weeks after the accident. The company conducted an internal investigation, putting in place a requirement for visual contact, an emergency stop button and implementing a Safe Operating Procedure.
This was the company’s first offence, and in consideration of its co-operation with SafeWork SA, the court reduced the penalty to $13,500 plus costs.
According to the safety authority, the hazards of moving machinery such as conveyor belts are obvious and preventable. A thorough hazard identification and risk assessment could have prevented the injury.