Lindsay William Taylor and Crows Nest Meatworks fined in Toowoomba Magistrates Court for Workplace Health and Safety breaches

A Crows Nest meatworks owner has copped a hefty fine after an unvaccinated abattoir employee contracted a rare bacterial disease while at work.

Crows Nest Meatworks and its owner have been fined a total $25,000 for breaching Workplace Health and Safety regulations.

Owner and sole director of Crows Nest Meatworks Pty Ltd Lindsay William Taylor, 70, appeared before Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to the breaches.

Office of Workplace Health and Safety prosecutor Jacqueline Ball told the court the breaches related to the company and Mr Taylor failing to ensure all workers were vaccinated against Q fever, with one employee in particular working on site without a vaccination certificate.

Magistrate Kay Phillipson noted, though there were pleas of guilty entered, the prosecution and defence had different versions of what occurred although she was not required to make judgment.

The court heard one employee who initially worked as a night cleaner but then on the slaughter floor had not held a Q fever vaccination certificate and that he ultimately contracted Q fever in December 2018 and spent four days in hospital.

The court was told Q fever was a disease caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii and that it could be transmitted from stock to humans.

Solicitor Mick Smith, of Bernays Lawyers, for the defendant, said his client instructed that the employee had been told to get vaccinated for Q fever and until that was told to wear the required mask at work.

However, Ms Ball submitted the employee denied he had been told.

Mr Smith said nonetheless his client pleaded guilty.

“My client fully agrees he (the employee) should have been dismissed when he couldn’t produce a vaccination certificate,” Mr Smith submitted.

Mr Smith said his client instructed since the pandemic it had been difficult to source workers and the company had struggled in recent years.

Ms Phillipson noted the maximum penalty against the company was $1.5m while the maximum against the director was $300,000.

Ms Phillipson ordered no conviction be recorded against either defendant but fined the company $20,000 and ordered it pay legal costs of $1599.70, and Mr Taylor $5000 with an order he pay $99.70 filing fees.