Pitango Pty Limited

Court Summary - at a glanceDate of offence:
6 May 2015
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
10 May 2016
 
Fine imposed:
$39,375 

Safety lessons learned:

Ensure an effective device is installed, such as an interlocked guard, to isolate the hazard and prevent employees from contacting the rotating cutting blade of a dicing machine while in operation;
Ensure an effective method is in place to assess and implement controls; and
Ensure information is effectively communicated and provided to employees on how to clean or remove blockages from machines through a safe operating procedure of work or similar document.

Defendant name:

Pitango Pty Limited

Industry:

Manufacturing

Date of offence:

6 May 2015

Facts in brief:

The Defendant company is a fresh chilled food manufacturer.

The Defendant owns an Urschel vegetable dicing machine which has two high speed rotating dicing blades.

The victim was employed as a Chef Assistant and predominantly worked in the vegetable preparation area.

On the day of the incident, the victim was operating the vegetable dicing machine when it became blocked. The victim removed a chute/guard and tried to remove the blockage using his hand. As he did so, the fingers on his left hand came into contact with the rotating blades.

The victim suffered a partial amputation of all four fingers. His fingers were unable to be reattached and were surgically terminalised.

Offence section:

Sections 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992

Date(s) charged:

Pitango Pty Limited

Court Summary - at a glance

Lessons learned

The offence

The decision

Links