SA livestock feed company to pay $390k for fatal workplace incident

SA Livestock Feed Company to Pay $390k for Fatal Workplace Incident

The South Australian Employment Tribunal has fined a livestock feed company $390,000 after a gate fatally crushed a worker within a pellet press in October 2020. This fatal accident occurred while the employee was attempting to clean a buildup of product at the bottom of the pellet press's surge bin.

A SafeWork SA investigation revealed that the business failed to identify and assess risks to workers when performing cleaning duties on the pellet press. The company's lack of a proper risk management guide for this task contributed directly to the tragedy.

Charges and Tribunal Findings

The livestock feed company pleaded guilty to two charges under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) following the fatal incident. Tribunal members found that the organisation failed to provide and maintain a safe work environment and a safe system of work for the task at hand.

Businesses operating in South Australia must comply with strict obligations to protect employee pay entitlements alongside physical safety. When a company neglects these duties, both financial penalties and reputational damage can follow, as demonstrated by this case.

SafeWork SA's Response

SafeWork SA Executive Director Martyn Campbell said, "this incident is an example of where inadequate risk management, particularly when it concerns machinery, has led to the unnecessary death of a worker."

"It is not enough to just conduct a hazard identification and risk assessment on the normal operation of machinery itself; assessments and control measures must also be made in relation to the specific tasks associated with the machinery."

Why Risk Assessment Guides Matter for Machinery Operations

This case highlights a critical lesson for any workplace using industrial machinery: a comprehensive risk assessment guide should cover not just standard operation, but every associated task, including cleaning, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Employers across construction, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors, including dairy and livestock operations, should treat machinery-adjacent tasks with the same scrutiny as primary operations.

Consider implementing the following measures as part of your safety guide:

• Conduct specific risk assessments for cleaning and maintenance tasks, not just standard machine operation
• Establish isolation procedures before workers enter or interact with machinery components
• Provide clear, documented safe work method statements for high-risk tasks
• Train employees thoroughly on hazards unique to non-operational interactions with equipment
• Review and update your safety guide regularly, particularly after any near-miss incidents

For businesses seeking to strengthen their approach to equipment safety, SafetyDocs offers a practical SOP for Equipment Maintenance guide to help teams document safe procedures for machinery-related tasks.

Related Fatal Workplace Incidents

This SA livestock feed case is not an isolated example. Similar failures in risk management have led to fatal outcomes across other industries and jurisdictions:

• New Zealand forestry company to pay over $500k after fatal workplace incident
• Canterbury farm fined for fatal workplace incident
• Defence contractor fined for fatal workplace incident

Each case reinforces a consistent message from safety regulators: businesses must go beyond box-ticking exercises and genuinely assess every task workers perform around dangerous equipment.

Building a Safer Workplace Culture

Beyond machinery-specific risk assessments, fostering a respectful and safety-conscious culture also reduces workplace harm. SafetyDocs' Workplace Bullying Policy supports organisations in addressing behavioural risks that can compound safety failures, while our Workplace Facility Plan - NZ assists businesses in planning safer physical environments.

Safety professionals looking to stay informed on emerging compliance requirements and industry best practice can also attend the Workplace Health and Safety Show, where practical guidance on machinery safety and workplace incident prevention is regularly discussed.

Originally published on SafeWork SA website.