Epping factory fined thousands over crushing death of worker

An Epping business has copped a massive fine after a new employee was crushed to death just a month into the job.

A metal works company has been hit with a large fine after the death of one of their workers. ​

A family run metal works company has been slapped with a hefty fine after it was convicted over the death of one of their workers, who was crushed by heavy machinery.

Rapid Perforating Pty Ltd was convicted in the County Court after the company pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to provide or maintain a safe working environment as a result of the accident that occurred at its Epping factory, copping a $280,000 fine.

Daryn Raines had only been employed by the company for a month before the tragic incident happened on the morning of February 19 in 2021.

The 46-year-old was one of 15 employees at the factory in Melbourne’s north and was operating a machine that perforated metal sheets at the time of the incident.

The court heard he was discovered by his co-workers pinned between the machine’s carriage and a table that was bolted to the floor.

Mr Raines became trapped between the machine’s moving carriage and a table that formed a trapping space which crushed him to death.

Paramedics were called to the scene but Mr Raines could not revived and died at the factory. The coroner ruled the cause of death was multiple severe crushing injuries to Mr Raines’ arms and torso.

A WorkSafe investigation found a lack of guarding around the dangerous area near the machine presented an immediate health and safety risk and the fixed table created a trapping space with the moving carriage.

The only indication of the unsafe area were lines painted on the floor and inspectors concluded the risk of injury for a machine operator was high.

Judge Michael O’Connell concluded that there were identifiable measures readily available to prevent the risk for workers operating the machine.

“The risk of causing a serious crushing injury was quite obvious by the way the machine operated,’’

“The systems in place, particularly the line markings, were inadequate.

“In my view, the incident of the kind that befell Mr Raines was readily foreseeable.

“The result, as this incident demonstrates, was catastrophic.”

WorkSafe executive director of health and safety Narelle Beer said workers would continue to die or suffer horrific injuries while employers fail in their duty to ensure machinery is appropriately guarded.

“This worker was only 46 when his life was cut short due to a lack of guarding,” Dr Beer said.

“Last year 311 manufacturing workers were injured seriously enough in incidents involving machinery to make a workers compensation claim. So far this year there have been 142 such claims.”

“WorkSafe will not hesitate to prosecute duty holders who fall short of their obligation to keep their workplaces safe.”