A Derrimut industrial equipment supplier has been fined $41,500 after two workers narrowly avoided serious injury when the fuel tank they were working in caught in 2019.
Fuelcraft Pty Ltd was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates Court last week after pleading guilty to one charge of failing to maintain a safe system of work; one charge of failing to provide information, instruction and training; and one charge of failing to notify WorkSafe of an incident.
The company was fined without conviction and ordered to pay costs of $5565.
The court heard that in May 2019, a third-year apprentice and another worker entered an ISO tank, which had been used to hold diesel, to undertake refurbishment works.
An oxygen acetylene torch was used to cut into the tank’s internal walls and within minutes the air became smokey and dark. Later, as work continued, flames were noticed on the floor.
One worker was able to climb a ladder to escape the tank, but the apprentice fell, hitting his elbow and sliding to the bottom. The other worker was then able to help pull the apprentice out by his arm.
The company did not notify WorkSafe of the incident, however, inspectors visited the workplace the following month after an anonymous tip-off.
WorkSafe found a company policy for entering confined spaces and rescue plans was still under development and that there was inadequate instruction and training for working in confined spaces.
