Popular Chinese restaurant chain faces $150k safety fine in court

A popular Chinese restaurant chain could be hit with huge fines over its workplace safety after a chef suffered a terrifying accident.

Little Red Dumpling owner Huanfan Liang faces $150k in safety fines.

A popular Chinese restaurant chain faces $150,000 fines over workplace safety after a chef accidentally cut their hand with a noodle maker.

Little Red Dumpling Kitchen owner and director Huanfan Liang pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on March 2 to four counts of failure to comply with health and safety duties, category two.

The court heard that in 2018 a chef at the restaurant caught his left hand in the steel agitator of the machine while preparing food and cut it badly.

In a victim impact statement tendered to the court, the chef said he had not regained full function in his left hand and his quality of life had been significantly impacted.

Huanfan Liang outside Beenleigh Magistrates Court.

The court heard Mr Liang, 33 from Rochedale, failed to address the obvious hazards imposed by the faulty machine and failed to take reasonable steps to address any risks.

The noodle maker was being used over a 16-month period while being faulty.

Prosecution and defence agreed Mr Liang will be fined in the range of $100,000 to $150,000.

Little Red Dumpling restaurant faces $150k fines for workplace safety

Mr Liang told the court since the incident he had spent $170,000 on upgrades to equipment to ensure safer practices.

Magistrate Mark Howden reserved his final decision and adjourned the matter.