VIC rubber company ordered to pay $450,000 penalty following worker's fatal injury

The Melbourne County Court has imposed a fine of $450,000 on a Dandenong South rubber manufacturer after a worker was fatally struck on the head by a machine part.

The court found the company failed to meet the required standards of providing a plant that was safe and free from health risks.

The worker was hit on the head by a moving component of a rubber extrusion processing line in Dandenong South in May 2021.

WorkSafe Executive Director Health and Safety Narelle Beer said employers must prioritise risk reduction measures; including being proactive in addressing any potential issues that may arise.

"This terrible incident was entirely foreseeable and, tragically, a worker has paid for the employer's lack of foresight with his life," Dr Beer said.

"Safety guarding on plant and machinery is crucial and it’s incumbent upon employers to provide workers with the highest possible level of safety, including proactively identifying risks and asking: are the control measures we have in place enough?"

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