A New South Wales recycling company has been fined $472,500 after a worker was fatally injured while attempting to clear a blockage in a green waste grinder — a death that SafeWork NSW says was entirely preventable.
Northwest Recycling Centre Pty Ltd was prosecuted by SafeWork NSW following the incident on 8 July 2022, in which a worker entered the feed chute of a Van Gelder Green Waste Grinder to clear a blockage while the machine was in an unsafe state. The company pleaded guilty in the NSW District Court to an offence under section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 for failing to comply with its duty to workers under section 19(1) of the Act.
The incident highlights the critical importance of lockout/tagout and isolation procedures when working with or near industrial plant and machinery. Attempting to clear blockages in machinery without first de-energising and isolating the equipment is one of the most common causes of fatal and serious injuries in recycling, manufacturing, and waste management environments.
SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer said the outcome was a reminder of what is at stake. ‘Preventing injuries caused by mobile plant, vehicles or fixed machinery is an area for action in SafeWork NSW’s regulatory priorities,’ she said. ‘Having an awareness and assessment of the risks, along with implementation of safe systems of work, is key to reducing the number of incidents related to moving plant.’
SafeWork NSW reminds all businesses of their duty to ensure workers are protected when working with plant, machinery and equipment. Key obligations include providing clear written safe work procedures for all machinery, implementing and enforcing lockout/tagout systems, ensuring workers are trained and competent before operating or maintaining plant, and conducting regular risk assessments for all maintenance and cleaning activities.
Machinery-related fatalities remain a persistent and preventable cause of workplace death in NSW. Operators and managers in sectors where industrial plant is used are urged to review their isolation and blockage-clearance procedures as a priority.
