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Prosecution Details

Defendant Mandira Pty Ltd
Trading Name Carewood Furniture
Section 19(1) and 19(7)
Offence Date Tuesday, 21 November 2000
Description of Breach(es)

Being an employer, failed, so far as was practicable, to provide and maintain a working environment in which its employees were not exposed to hazards and, by that failure, caused serious harm to an employee.

Background Details

The defendant operated a furniture manufacturing business in Maddington.

On 21 November 2000, a fifteen year old employee was instructed to mould some drawer fronts. In order to do so he was required to operate a spindle moulder. The employee found that the false fence which was on the spindle moulder was not working properly.

The employee proceeded to make a new false fence by securing a piece of wood, which would become the new false fence, onto the manufacturer's fence. He then asked another employee to raise the cutters while he held an additional piece of wood against the false fence to prevent it from breaking out. The other employee moved the blades up into the false fence and the employee cut the block of wood he was holding to see how deep the cut was.

This process had been repeated a couple of times when the piece of wood the employee was holding started to move. The employee pushed the wood down harder and it flew in the opposite direction to that which he had moved it in. As the wood flew off the spindle moulder the employee's left hand was dragged into the blades.

As a result the employee's left middle finger was amputated above the joint closest to the hand. His left index finger was also lacerated, which required stitches.

The defendant pleaded guilty. The penalty was imposed under section 19(7) of the Act.




Outcome Summary

convicted

Conviction Date 22 Oct 2002
Court Perth Court of Petty Sessions
Fine $5,000
Costs $1,700
Charge Number 6096/01