Food manufacturer fined $50K for frankfurt failsafe failure

George Weston Foods - one of Australia’s largest food processors - was convicted and fined $50,000 at the Castlemaine Magistrates’ Court on 17 February after pleading guilty to one count of failing to provide a safe plant, after a worker’s hand was crushed after being caught in a machine.

The court heard that the incident happened when a woman was packing frankfurts on a processing machine at the company’s Castlemaine smallgoods plant, which trades as Don KRC, on 30 July 2010. After plastic wrapping became stuck in the processing machine, the employee switched the machine off, removed the guarding and cleared the blockage. A colleague, who was unaware that the woman was still working, turned the machine back on. The woman’s hand was trapped between a hot plate and the top of the machine. She suffered crush injuries and burns to her hand.

An investigation into the matter found that the machine did not comply with Australian standards, as it did not have a failsafe that would stop the machine when guarding was opened - and that the company was aware of this.

In sentencing, Magistrate Cottrell considered the company’s guilty plea, cooperation with the investigation, subsequent remedial measures and that it was in the process of addressing OHS issues across the site when the incident happened. The court was told that changes to the machine’s guarding were implemented by the company immediately after the incident.

WorkSafe Manufacturing, Logistics and Agriculture Director Ross Pilkington said providing appropriate guarding was a fundamental part of many businesses, especially those working in manufacturing.

“Appropriate guarding is one of the easiest steps that can be taken to ensure workers do not injure themselves,” he said.

“Equipment maintenance often comes at little to no cost and ensures workers get home safely at the end of the day.

“This incident could have been easily prevented if there was an effective lockout-tag out (LOTO) system in place to effectively prevent the accidental starting of machinery.

“If there are instances where guarding is not doing its job, or machines can operate without it, employers need to fix this as a matter of urgency. Not doing so is just not worth it.”