Juice Company Convicted over Scalping Injury

In November 2020, an 18-year-old worker had her entire scalp torn from her head in a horrific incident at a packing shed.

The woman was instructed to clear a blockage from a conveyor belt. The machinery was left on when she reached down to retrieve fallen fruit and her hair was pulled into an unguarded sprocket and drive-chain system.

The worker has undergone multiple surgical procedures and suffers psychologically from her ongoing disability and disfigurement.

The Magistrate said "the risk of harm was not only foreseeable, but it had also been foreseen", citing an assessment undertaken by the company in 2013 which identified a risk of possible injury to "hands and hair" from unguarded moving parts, and recommended more guards to be installed around equipment.

The South Australian company pleaded guilty and received a criminal conviction for failing to comply with its health and safety duty and was fined $120,000.

It is a timely reminder to check the machine guarding of equipment in your workplace.

Contact Safety Action on 03 8544 4300 or email for an assessment of your machinery or ask us how we can train your staff to conduct these assessments.