Following three separate incidents involving different machines left workers with serious hand injuries Retired AKZ Pty Ltd (formerly known as AKZ Reinforcing Pty Ltd) was fined $92,000 with conviction in June this year. On appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions, the County Court this month set aside the Magistrates’ Court orders and imposed a total fine of $146,000 plus costs.
In May 2018 an employee of AKZ Reinforcing experienced a crush injury to his right ring finger and a partial amputation of the right little finger. WorkSafe issued an improvement notice, but no charge.
In November 2020 an employee at the business sustained a serious injury that removed the skin and flesh padding on his right thumb and his thumb nail. He received skin grafts from his right forearm to make a pad for his thumb. WorkSafe attended and issued three improvement notices.
In August 2021 another AKZ Reinforcing employee incurred a severe crush injury to his right ring finger and lost the tip of the right little finger. WorkSafe attended and issued three improvement notices.
In February 2023 a fourth employee suffered a serious injury that resulted in the loss of the ends of his right middle and ring fingers and a major fracture of his right little finger. WorkSafe attended and issued an improvement notice and a prohibition notice.
AKZ Reinforcing pleaded guilty to three charges under the OHS Act, which covered the three most recent incidents. The business is no longer in operation.
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