A South Australian stock feed and pet food manufacturer has been convicted and fined over the death of a worker. 

In October 2020, a worker at the Laucke Mills in Barossa Valley suffered fatal injuries when he was crushed and asphyxiated by a pneumatic slide-gate within a pellet press.

F Laucke Proprietary Limited pleaded guilty in the South Australian Employment Tribunal (SAET) for breaches of section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA).

The court heard that while risk assessments on the pellet press were undertaken in 2010 and 2019, both failed to identify the risks relating to the pneumatic slide-gate.

On the day of his death, the worker attempted to clean a build up of product at the bottom of the pellet press’s surge bin. 

The worker was able to access the interior of the surge bin via an access hatch, of which was not interlocked, allowing the slide gate to activate and cause fatal injuries.

SafeWork SA’s investigation identified that a risk of injury was foreseeable, and the incident could have been avoided had the company adequately identified and assessed the risks to workers when performing clearing duties on the pellet press.

The SAET convicted F Laucke Proprietary Limited and imposed a fine of $650,000 (reduced to $390,000 after discount for early guilty plea) plus legal fees.

The partner of the man killed in the incident has spoken to reporters, saying the family was “completely disgusted and heartbroken” by the fine imposed.

“They admitted fault [and] did not provide a safe work environment which resulted in my partner being killed and that is all they get?” she said.

“Is that all a human life is worth? It has not brought us any closure and we do not feel a sense of justice or accountability being held.

“They have improved their workplace — now. Too little, too late. There was little risk management done in that place for 10 years prior. This was entirely preventable.

“We sat in the courtroom and listened to the defence say it was a mistake that wasn't intended. So basically; ‘Oops, sorry’.”