A quarry operator and two of its employees have pleaded guilty and been sentenced for failing to ensure risk to persons from quarrying operations was at an acceptable level. Charges were laid against the quarry operator, its site senior executive and a supervisor following an investigation by the Queensland Mines Inspectorate. The quarry operator was fined $180,000, while the site senior executive and supervisor were fined $45,000 and $10,000 respectively.

A 21-year-old worker died from injuries he sustained on 15 November 2018, when he was pulled into the tail pulley of a conveyor. Prior to the incident, guarding — the physical barrier between moving machinery and workers — had been removed, exposing the worker to the hazards present on the conveyor. In sentencing, the magistrate considered the complacency at the quarry site and the inadequate attention to safety.

The penalties imposed highlight the seriousness with which the law treats employers’ and their officers’ obligations to ensure the safety of their workers. “The tragic loss of a young worker’s life is a stark reminder to industry of the need to maintain a chronic sense of unease about the safety of their workplaces and practices,” Chief Inspector of Mines Hermann Fasching said.

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