SA Police and Infrastructure Department face criminal charges over worker’s death in walk-in freezer at Echunga training station

SA Police and the Planning, Transport and Infrastructure Department are facing criminal charges over the death of a police employee who died after becoming trapped in a walk-in freezer.

SA Police and the Planning, Transport and Infrastructure Department are facing criminal charges over the death of a police employee who died after becoming trapped in a walk-in freezer.

SafeWork SA has charged the government departments over the death of Debra Summers, 54, who died of hypothermia when she became trapped in a commercial freezer at an SA Police training facility in Echunga on October 4, 2016.

Ms Summers was employed by SA Police as a part-time cook and cleaner at the training reserve.

SafeWork SA executive director Martyn Campbell said the two departments had “shown conduct that constituted a criminal offence under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012”.

SA Police has been charged with contravening section 19 and 32 of the act by allegedly failing to comply with its health and safety duties, exposing Mrs Summers to “a risk of death or serious injury”.

It faces a maximum penalty of a $1.5 million fine.

A police spokeswoman said SA Police “acknowledge that charges have been laid” against it.

“SAPOL understands this is likely to be an extremely difficult time for the family of Mrs Summers,” she said.

“SAPOL are unable to make further comment regarding these charges as the matter is now before the court.”

SafeWork charged the Planning, Transport and Infrastructure Department with contravening sections 21 and 32 of the act, alleging it too allegedly exposed Mrs Summer to risk of serious injury or death by failing to comply with its health and safety duties.

It also faces a maximum fine of $1.5 million.

SafeWork says DPTI was liable under the act because it was responsible for managing the maintenance of government sites such as the Echunga Training Reserve.

Mr Campbell said Ms Summers was working alone at the time of her death and remained in the freezer for several hours before she was discovered.

He said Ms Summers’ husband raised the alarm when she did not return home after her shift.

Mr Campbell said a number of “failures” led to Ms Summer’s tragic death and offered his sympathies to her family.

“We remind all employers to be aware of plant and machinery used in their business and ensure it is risk-assessed and regularly maintained,” he said.

“It is critical that workplace hazards are identified, recorded and dealt with to ensure the likelihood of injury is eliminated or controlled to an acceptable level.

“We remind everyone that lives can actually depend on whether the employer meets its obligations for worker safety.”

Mr Campbell said he could not go into further details about the case but did confirm the investigation centred on a faulty freezer lock.

“The issue relating to the death was relating to the lock on the walk-in freezer,” he said.

“It wasn’t working effectively.”

Mr Campbell said he believed SafeWork had compiled a “very strong” case against the departments.

“It’s fair to say that any family in this situation want people to be held accountable and want closure.”

He said every employer “has a duty to ensure their workers return home safely after work”.

“Even seemingly simply things like regular maintenance or a ‘buddy system’ so people do not work alone can make all the difference at a workplace.”

The case will go to the South Australian Employment Tribunal on November 21.

A spokesman for DPTI said it would not be commenting at this time.

State Treasurer Rob Lucas said he had been advised of the charges.

“My thoughts are with (Ms Summers’) family at this time,” he said.

“The Government respects the independence of the regulator and, as this matter is now before the courts, it would be inappropriate for me to provide further comment.”