South Australian trailer company fined after worker suffers partial finger amputations

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South Australian Trailer Company Fined After Worker Suffers Partial Finger Amputations

An Adelaide trailer manufacturer has been hit with a $180,000 fine by the South Australian Employment Tribunal after a young worker suffered partial finger amputations while operating poorly guarded equipment.

The tribunal filed charges against the company after a teenage worker lost part of his fingers during the November 2020 incident, a case that highlights ongoing hazards within the automotive and transport manufacturing sector.

What Happened During the Incident

A SafeWork SA investigation found the company failed to provide a safe working environment for employees, particularly around equipment lacking adequate guarding. The worker's finger injuries occurred when moving machine parts caught his hand during routine operation.

This type of amputation injury is unfortunately common across manufacturing settings where hazardous machinery lacks proper isolation or guarding controls. Industry data consistently shows unguarded equipment remains a leading cause of serious workplace harm.

Outcome and Penalty

The company received a fine of $180,000 after pleading guilty to the offence. This fine for the trailer company reflects the tribunal's view that safety obligations were not met, and that reasonably practicable steps to eliminate hazards were overlooked.

Employers within the automotive manufacturing industry carry a legal duty to ensure equipment is fitted with guards, interlocks, or other engineering controls that reduce risk to workers operating near moving parts.

Lessons for the Automotive and Transport Industry

This case serves as a reminder for businesses across the automotive, transport, and broader manufacturing industry to review machine guarding practices regularly. Health and safety obligations extend beyond simple compliance — they require proactive hazard identification and risk assessment for all equipment used on site.

Key safety takeaways for automotive and transport industry employers include:

• Conducting regular risk assessments on equipment before and during operation
• Ensuring machine guarding meets current safety standards
• Providing tools and training so employees can identify hazardous conditions
• Maintaining clear reporting channels for equipment faults or near misses

Businesses operating heavy equipment in the automotive and transport sectors should also consider how similar incidents have played out elsewhere. Read our coverage of a Northland company fined after a worker lost part of a finger in an unguarded pressing machine for further insight into how machine guarding failures lead to costly penalties across the automotive industry.

Other sectors face comparable risks. A WA company was fined after a worker suffered fall from height injuries, while a NSW roofing company faced penalties after a worker fell, showing that hazard management remains a priority across every corner of Australian industry.

Supporting Safer Operations Across the Industry

Manufacturers within the automotive and transport industry can strengthen safety systems by pairing practical equipment audits with documented policies. Our Company Vehicle Policy offers a useful framework for organisations managing fleet-related equipment risk, while our Welding Trailer SWMS supports safe work practices during trailer fabrication tasks common to this industry.

Employers can also benefit from clear expectations set out in a Worker Agreement Policy, alongside broader resources found in our Worker Contractor Manuals collection, which help businesses formalise safety expectations for contractors and staff alike.

Read the full story here.

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