A Hunter Valley garage door manufacturer has been fined $450,000 in the NSW Industrial Court after a worker suffered serious injuries when struck by a forklift at its Mayfield facility.

Steel-Line Garage Doors Australia Pty Ltd was prosecuted by SafeWork NSW following the incident on 10 October 2022. The company pleaded guilty to an offence under section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 for failing to comply with its primary duty under section 19(1) of the Act.

Reports indicate the worker suffered severe degloving injuries to her leg as a result of the incident. The full judgment has been published on the NSW Caselaw website, and the company retains the right to appeal.

SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer said the outcome was a reminder that mobile plant incidents remain entirely preventable. “Risk control measures for working with moving plant and fixed machinery are well known. Being hit by moving plant or vehicles or injured when working with fixed machinery are preventable hazards we see across our state and across all industries,” she said.

The Commissioner noted that preventing injuries caused by mobile plant and vehicles is an active regulatory priority for SafeWork NSW. The regulator has urged all PCBUs operating forklifts and other mobile plant to review traffic management plans, enforce pedestrian exclusion zones, verify operator licensing, and implement safe systems of work before an incident occurs.

SafeWork NSW resources on managing the risks of plant, machinery, and equipment are available via the SafeWork NSW website.