Company fined for worker's lost hand
Posted
A company has been fined over a farm manager losing a hand in a workplace accident.
Farm company Southwest Pastoral was found guilty of failing to ensure safety and maintain safe work policies.
In January 2006, the man, 53, was using an auger to mix feed when his hand got caught in the machine, at a leased farm at Mt Schank in the south-east of South Australia.
A cover had been removed to allow more mixed feed to be collected, but another worker started the machine while the man was still scooping out the last of the grain.
Industrial magistrate Richard Hardy said the company should have identified the hazard.
He imposed a fine of more than $18,375, an amount reduced because of the company's co-operation with authorities.
