A Campbellfield recycling company that went out of business following the death of an employee in a workplace accident has been fined $800,000 in the County Court.
Australian Box Recycling was found guilty of one breach of the Occupational Health and Safety Act by failing to provide and maintain a safe plant, according to WorkSafe Victoria.
The charge followed the death of an employee who was crushed under a homemade lifting device.
The four-day trial took place late last month despite the company refusing to be involved.
The court heard that the company received used boxes from suppliers such as supermarkets, turning unwaxed boxes into briquettes and redistributing waxed boxes.
It heard that the company manager had made a box-stacking lift, in which boxes were placed in a cage that was then lifted up so more boxes could be stored underneath. The design of the lift meant the operator had to walk beneath it to remove the rear supporting crossbar to allow the lift to descend.
However, there was no mechanical bar to break the lift’s descent in the case of failure.
In August, 2014, an employee was operating the lift, when the cable holding the suspended load of boxes snapped and the lift fell on him.
