SA Potato producer faces $180,000 fine following forklift-related incident

South Australia's Employment Tribunal has fined a potato producer $180,000 after a reversing forklift caused significant injuries to a worker at an Adelaide processing plant, following a prosecution by SafeWork SA.

The prosecution highlights ongoing risk within plant environments where forklifts and pedestrians share workspaces, reinforcing why robust safety systems remain essential for businesses operating heavy machinery.

Recently, the company was instructed to pay a fine of $180,000 due to a prosecution initiated by SafeWork SA.

The tribunal accused the company of contravening section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act as a result of its inadequate efforts to ensure a safe distance between forklift operations and pedestrians in the workplace. Maintaining that distance is a core part of lifting equipment management, particularly in plant settings handling produce at scale.

What Happened at the Adelaide Facility

The incident took place at a potato processing plant in Adelaide on 30 May 2022, where a worker, positioned beside his stationary forklift, was hit by another forklift that was reversing. Following the incident, the worker incurred various injuries.

“A SafeWork SA investigation found the company failed to ensure the ‘specials’ line area where the incident occurred had a designated safe stopping zone for forklifts,” SafeWork SA said.

“It also failed to ensure there were adequate processes and procedures in place for the management of workers and forklifts entering and/or remaining in the specials line area.”

Why Forklift Safety Matters in Plant Operations

Forklifts remain among the most hazardous pieces of equipment used across processing plants, warehouses, and manufacturing sites. Without designated stopping zones and clear pedestrian pathways, hazardous interactions between lifting equipment and workers become far more likely.

Businesses operating similar plant equipment should review their forklift safe work method statement to confirm designated stopping zones, traffic management procedures, and pedestrian exclusion areas are clearly documented and enforced.

Health and safety regulators across Australia continue prosecuting employers who fail to separate lifting machinery from foot traffic. Similar enforcement occurred when a Victorian abattoir was fined $55,000 following a forklift injury, underscoring a pattern of penalties tied to inadequate plant traffic controls.

Key Safety Gaps Identified by SafeWork SA

• No designated safe stopping zone within the specials line area
• Insufficient procedures for managing forklifts entering or remaining in high-traffic zones
• Lack of clear separation between pedestrian workers and mobile lifting equipment

Regulatory and Legal Implications

SafeWork SA's investigation confirmed the breach stemmed from systemic gaps rather than a single lapse, reflecting broader health and safety obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act. Employers carry a duty to eliminate or minimise risk so far as reasonably practicable, particularly where lifting equipment operates near employees on foot.

This case follows a broader trend of incident-related prosecutions across construction, manufacturing, and processing sectors. For context on how incidents at other facilities have led to legal consequences, see coverage of a builder facing charges after a fatal incident at a Melbourne factory.

Reducing Risk Through Documentation and Process

Robust incident management processes help businesses identify hazardous conditions before injuries occur. Reviewing incident management checklists, forms, and registers can support consistent reporting and early risk identification across plant floors.

Clear documentation also matters after an event occurs. Businesses reassessing their response frameworks may benefit from reviewing an incident reporting policy to ensure workplace events are captured, escalated, and reviewed appropriately.

Additional context on penalty outcomes tied to hazardous equipment appears in reporting on an Alice Springs arborist receiving a $25,000 fine following a wood chipper incident, reinforcing how regulators treat machinery-related harm across varied industries.

Key Takeaway

This case reinforces a clear message for potato producers, processing plants, and any business relying on forklifts: safety cannot be treated as optional. Designated stopping zones, enforced pedestrian separation, and documented procedures are fundamental controls that reduce risk and protect workers from preventable injuries.

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