WorkSafe reports that New Sector Engineering Pty Ltd was sentenced to pay the $300,000 fine in Melbourne County Court on March 25, following a gas bottle explosion which left a worker permanently disabled in 2017. The firm pleaded guilty to failing to ensure persons other than employees were not exposed to risks to their health and safety and failing to provide a work environment that was safe and without risks to health.
The court heard that two gas bottles which contained oxygen and acetylene caused an explosion while being transported in the enclosed toolbox of a New Sector Engineering ute, which caught fire. The court was told that the bottles had been placed on their side and unsecured, as the vehicle’s canopy was too low for the worker to position them upright.
The worker suffers from memory loss and requires a wheelchair due to their injuries.
This incident underlines the importance of safely loading, unloading, segregating, securing and transporting dangerous goods. For more information, visit the WorkSafe website.