Prosecutions 2005 (PDF 3269kb) - WorkSafe Victoria

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROSECUTIONS
WILLIAM WILLIAMS
Date of offence: 23 October 2001
Date of prosecution:
Magistrate:
Plea:
16 February 2005 at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court
Her Honour Magistrate Hannan
Guilty
On 23 October 2001, an employee of Complete Truck Bodies Pty Ltd was working on a truck that had
been lifted and lowered onto two high trestles. The system of work involved the necessary work
being completed on the body of the truck from underneath, and when completed, the body was
again lifted and lowered onto the chassis of the vehicle. There were no designated lifting points on
the truck body and no proper slinging techniques used. The hooks of the chains were inserted into
the ends of two rolled steel hollow sections that formed part of the truck body. The strain of the
load caused them to split and the truck body slipped.
The employee was hit on the right shoulder and knocked to the floor by the suspended truck body
that slipped.
The employee sustained a broken bone in his foot and a shattered thigh bone as a result of
the incident.
The defendant was a director of Complete Truck Bodies Pty Ltd and also worked in the factory.
Breach: Sections 21(1) & (2)(a) and section 52(1); and sections 21(1) & (2)(e) and section 52(1) of the
Occupational Health and Safety Act 1985.
Result: The defendant was released upon entering into an undertaking to be of good behaviour
for 12 months and ordered to donate $1,000 to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
WILSOLVE PTY LTD
Date of offence: 6 February 2004
Date of prosecution:
Magistrate:
Plea:
29 April 2005 at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court
Her Honour Magistrate Macpherson
Guilty
On 6 February 2004, an employee of Wilsolve Pty Ltd was operating a forklift to deposit full
containers of air freshener into an industrial shredder. The butane gas from the containers escaped
when they were pierced by the shredding machine and came into contact with an ignition point - the
compressor at the rear of a fridge in the tea room - and exploded.
The employee received serious burns to the face and arms.
Breach: Sections 21(1) & (2)(a) and sections 21(1) & (2)(e) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1985.
Result: Convicted and fined an aggregate sum of $50,000.
PROSECUTIONS 2005
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