Prosecution Details

Being an employer, failed to provide such first aid facilities, namely calcium gluconate gel, as was appropriate having regard to the type of hazards to persons at the workplace, namely the hazard of contact by employees with hydrofluoric acid, the risk of that hazard and the number of persons at the workplace.

The defendants premises was a rock lobster processing plant in Cervantes.

The injured person had only commenced work two days before the accident. At the time of the accident the employee was using a cleaning agent known as Al-Brite to clean metal shelve and racks in the processing room as shown in the photograph. The cleaner contained approximately 8% hydrofluoric acid and 9% sulphuric acid. No material safety data sheet was supplied with the product. On 21 November 1996 the employee was not wearing appropriate protective equipment. Some of the cleaning agent wet her legs, stomach, face, arms and left eye, but because no calcium gluconate gel was available the employee suffered greater burns than might otherwise have occurred.

The defendant pleaded guilty.