resource: Examples of Plant and Equipment Incidents And outcomes
Industry strives to prevent harm to personnel and equipment. Every incident is avoidable, whether it has occured through an unforseen hazard, inadequate safeguarding, improper maintenance, inadequate risk assessments, environmental factors, human error, negligence or complacency. Some incidents unfortunately can result in serious harm and or fatality. This resource aims to serve as a learning tool, helping identify similar hazards or circumstances that may be current and unrealised in a workplace. Such insights can foster understanding and drive prompt mitigation to prevent the risk of harm. These examples are primarily drawn from incidents reported in Victoria, Australia, ensuring local relevance for our readers.
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17th March 2025
$220,000 safety spend after worker's hand entangled in conveyor
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding a Goulburn Valley fruit grower will spend an estimated $220,000 to improve health and safety outcomes after a worker's hand was caught and degloved in a conveyor belt.
- Information for use, instruction, training, guarding, periodic inspection.
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10th February 2025
Poultry farm charged after conveyor belt death
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria has charged a Lethbridge poultry farm operator after a worker was fatally crushed in a conveyor belt in March 2023.
- Fixed guarding, isolation and LOTO
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10th February 2025
Employers cop $13.3 million for safety breaches in 2024
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
Victorian employers faced serious legal and financial consequences for putting workers at risk last year, with WorkSafe completing 119 successful health and safety prosecutions and enforceable undertakings.
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6th February 2025
Manufacturer commits $130,000 to safety after injury
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding a food manufacturer that has pledged to spend more than $130,000 to improve health and safety after a worker's finger was partially severed in a processing machine at its Clayton factory.
- Safe Work Procedures, isolation and LOTO, interlocking
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24th January 2025
Worker convicted after forklift death
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding a worker that has been convicted and placed on a six month good behaviour bond following the death of a colleague who was struck by a forklift load at a warehouse near Geelong.
- Failure to take reasonable care for the health and safety of persons who may be affected by the employee's acts or ommissions at a workplace.
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19th December 2024
Company fined $350,000 after fatal gate crush
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding a gate manufacturing and repair company that has been convicted and fined $350,000 after a truck driver was fatally crushed under a falling gate at a Dandenong depot.
- Isolation and LOTO
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17th December 2024
Company charged after worker fatally impaled
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
WorkSafe has charged a hay and grain logistics company following the death of a worker at a storage shed in Willaura, south of Ararat, in December 2022.
- Alleges failure to reduce, so far as is reasonably practicable, the risk of serious injury or death, absence of SWMS
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12th December 2024
Manufacturer fined after worker's head crushed
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding an industrial plastics manufacturer that has been fined $40,000 after a worker suffered life-threatening crush injuries when his head was caught in machinery.
- Safe Work Procedures, training, periodic inspection, isolation and LOTO, inteference with safety controls.
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23rd October 2024
Severed fingers lands repeat offender $100,000 fine
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding a recidivist Melbourne food manufacturer that has been convicted and fined another $100,000 after a worker's fingers were severed in a large mixing machine.
- Risk assessment, interlocked guarding, safe work procedures, isolation and LOTO, machine guarding, training and supervison
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4th July 2024
Takeaway fined $75,000 after hair caught in rotisserie
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding a fast food business that has been convicted and fined $75,000 after a worker's ponytail was caught in an unguarded rotisserie machine at a store in Plenty.
- Hazard identification and risk assessment, training, PPE, safe work procedures, machine guarding, periodic inspection, warning signs.
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24th April 2024
Rubber company fined $450,000 after fatal blow to worker
(link to County Court of Victoria web site)
See DPP v The Elastomers Pty Ltd [2024] VCC 482 (19 April 2024), This citation provides valuable insights into the factors that tragically resulted in a fatality, preventive measures, legal implications, and legislative responsibilities.
- Visibility of the danger zone not complete from the location of the manual reset function, machine guarding, interlocking, prevention of unexpected start-up, risk assessment
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22nd April 2024
Company fined $40,000 after workers hand crushed
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding a cardboard manufacturer that has been convicted and fined $40,000 after a worker's hand was dragged into unguarded machinery at a Keysborough factory ...
- Hazard identification and risk assessment, machine guarding, interlocking, isolation and LOTO, safe work procedures, periodic inspection, training and supervision.
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18th April 2024
$40,000 fine after worker's arm caught in shredder
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding a scrap metal recycler in Tottenham that has been fined $40,000 after a contractor's arm was caught in a machine which had the guarding removed ...
- Hazard identification and risk assessment, machine guarding, safe work procedures, training, periodic inspection, warning signs.
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26th March 2024
Inadequate instructions: Fine for S.29 breach.
(link to ohs.org.au web site)
See ohs.org.au's news regarding investigations following injury found that an equipment operating manual lacked adequate safety instructions....
- Manufacturer responsibility for providing adequate safety instructions within information for use.
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05 March 2024
Spate of serious injuries leads to $545,000 fine
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding a plastics moulding manufacturer that has been convicted and fined a total of $545,000 after numerous safety breaches at its Laverton North plant left workers seriously injured. According to the WorkSafe Victoria web site, this included a fine of $75,000 for failing to provide a safe system of work; $250,000 for failing to ensure safe storage of substances; and $100,000 for failing to provide information, instruction and training ...
- Hazard identification and risk assessment, safe work procedures, training, machine guarding, periodic inspection, warning signs..
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10 Nov 2023
Record $2.1 million fine and community corrections order for Director
(link to WorkSafe Victoria web site)
See WorkSafe Victoria's news regarding a record $2.1 million fine over apprentice's serious head injury ...
- Reduction of risk, machine guarding, safe support of workpieces, exclusion zone, emergency stop, safe work procedures, PPE, training.
