Hallett Concrete Pty Ltd pays over$400,000 in safety repairs following incident where worker lost two fingertips

A concrete manufacturer has splashed over $400,000 on safety improvements to avoid prosecution after a worker’s fingers were crushed in a horrific incident.

A concrete manufacturer has splashed over $400,000 on safety improvements after a worker suffered a horrific crushing injury and lost two fingertips.

According to an announcement by SafeWork SA last month, the regulator accepted an Enforceable Undertaking (EU) from MSP Group, trading as Hallett Concrete Pty Ltd, following the incident at the company’s Elizabeth site on April 29, 2022.

An EU – which is an alternative to prosecution – is a written, legally binding commitment to implement effective work health and safety initiatives.

The incident occurred while a worker was helping a co-worker move concrete blocks using a front-end loader with a bucket attachment and a lifting chain attached.

Hallett Concrete Pty Ltd paid over $400,000 in safety repairs following an incident where a worker lost two fingertips. Photo: iStock

The worker’s fingers were pinched in the lifting chain, causing a crush injury that led to the amputation of the tips of his right middle and index fingers.

An investigation was conducted by SafeWork SA, alleging that Hallett Concrete failed to provide and maintain a safe system of work because it failed to ensure measures were in place to eliminate or minimise the identified risk, the announcement said.

Hallett Concrete applied to the Regulator to consider their application for an EU, which was accepted in October 2024.

Before entering into the EU, Hallett Concrete made $428,000 in improvements, including the purchase of a new $388,000 loader with a suitable lifting attachment.

The EU also includes benefits to workers of $245,000 and benefits to the community of $175,000, including training in safety leadership and the construction of a $100,000 fitness, health and wellbeing hub at the company’s Dry Creek facility for staff to use for free.

The company said in a statement that it “sincerely regrets that the alleged contravention occurred and the impact that this event has had on the injured worker and his family”.

“This undertaking is a more appropriate response to the alleged contravention than a court-imposed sanction because it presents an opportunity for Hallett Group to make a significant investment in improving its systems of work for the benefit of its employees, as well as effecting change in the greater industry and community,” they said.

SafeWork SA Executive Director Glenn Farrell said the EU will have a direct impact toward improving worker safety through targeted education to workers and the industry, while also delivering benefits to the community.

“The construction of a health and wellbeing hub at Dry Creek is just one of the health and safety improvements that will deliver benefits to workers that would not have been achieved through prosecution,” he said.