Portland sawmill operator fined after worker lost fingers in accident

A company has been fined after a worker at a Portland sawmill had part of two fingers amputated after a shocking workplace accident.

A Portland sawmill has been fined almost $40,000 after a worker was injured in a workplace accident.

A Portland sawmill has been fined almost $40,000 after a worker lost part of two fingers in a workplace accident.

Ac2 International pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court to failing to provide a safe working environment after the accident at the sawmill in January, 2019.

The court was told the victim had been working on a conveyor line called a strapper, which bundles timber into packs, puts a strap around them and places them on the stacker table, requiring the use of a scissor-lift.

The worker noticed a bundle had been put down missing a stick of timber, so he got into the scissor-lift. While in the lift, he reached over to pick up the stick of timber and lost his grip while attempting to pull it back towards him.

His glove got stuck in one of the moving cogs on the stacker table.

After yelling out to a co-worker for help, he was able to get his hand freed after it was stuck for almost two-and-a-half minutes.

He had sections of his ring and little fingers amputated as a result and he was off work for several weeks, the court was told.

Defence lawyer Amanda Dickens said it was not a case of an employee being directed to perform an unsafe task, but more that the victim had not been properly instructed about the dangers.

Magistrate John Lesser said Ac2 International had complied with all improvement notices served on it after the accident and fully co-operated with the investigation.

Mr Lesser said the company operated in an industry with significant danger which meant it had significant responsibility to reduce the risk of harm to employees.

He described Ac2 as a “relatively ill-informed” company at the time of the accident which was in its infancy and developing international and domestic trading arrangements.

Mr Lesser said there had not been appropriate guarding around the machinery and a lack of training for the workers prior to the accident.

Ac2 International was fined $36,500 and ordered to pay $2051.66 in costs. No conviction was recorded.