Company fined $60,000 for failing in its general obligation to keep risk to an acceptable level
On 29 January 2021, the defendant company pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for failing in its general obligation to take all reasonable steps to ensure no person was exposed to an unacceptable level of risk in relation to high pressure cleaning equipment (operating plant) that a worker was using at a gas wellsite near Clifford Queensland.
The incident occurred on 31 January 2019 when the worker, who was holding a high pressure hose at the wellsite, suddenly lost control of it and sustained serious injuries.
Investigations by the Petroleum and Gas Inspectorate Queensland revealed that defendant company, which was contracted to carry out the cleaning of infrastructure at the gas wellsite, had sent the injured worker and another employee to the wellsite to operate the high pressure equipment. Neither worker had the required knowledge or competency to safely operate the equipment, which was directly attributable to the worker’s injury. A conviction was not recorded.
ENDS
Last updated: 04 Feb 2021
