Farm fined for fatality
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A fruit grower has been fined $750,000 over a worker’s fatal fall.
Cutri Fruit Pty Ltd, a fruit grower in Woorinen South, has been fined $750,000 following the death of a worker who fell from a moving trailer in January 2022.
The company pleaded guilty in the Mildura County Court to failing to ensure the safety of non-employees.
The 70-year-old labour hire worker was only on his second shift when he and another worker fell from a trailer being towed by a tractor on public roads between farm sites.
He suffered critical head injuries, including a fractured skull, and died in hospital later that night. The second worker was uninjured.
Workers had been riding on platforms attached to trailers, which were designed to carry double-stacked fruit bins but not passengers.
The court heard that the company’s orchard manager and director had warned staff against riding the trailers just a week earlier.
Despite this, four workers were on the platforms at the time of the incident.
A WorkSafe investigation found that the company had failed to implement readily available safety measures, such as removing permanent platforms to deter workers from riding the trailers, providing portable steps for accessing fruit bins, and establishing procedures to prevent towing while workers were onboard.
WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Sam Jenkin said the incident could have been avoided.
“Riding around on any type of machinery or equipment that isn't designed to carry people is incredibly dangerous and should never be part of anyone's work,” he said.
The court also noted that workers were required to travel between multiple farm locations, a practice that added risk without adequate safeguards.
While the fine aims to send a strong message to employers, AH Vision Pty Ltd, which employed the deceased, is also facing charges related to the case.
