Defence contractor fined for fatal workplace incident

A defence contractor has been fined $450,000 following a workplace death in July 2020.

Federal workplace safety regulator Comcare filed charges against the company after a 50-year-old man was fatally struck by a vehicle subframe at a Bendigo factory.

The company was recently sentenced in a Bendigo court after pleading guilty in April to a single charge of failing to provide a safe system of work.

Comcare Chief Executive Officer Greg Vines said the company was aware of the risks to employees.

“The company knew workers considered the existing process for loading and unloading subframes on the positioners was difficult and that alternative methods were under consideration,” Mr Vines said.

Read the full story here.