Road Marking Firm Fined After Worker Bitumen Injury

Capital Lines and Signs Pty Ltd has been convicted and fined $120,000 in the Industrial Court of NSW as a result of a prosecution by SafeWork NSW.

These proceedings arose from an incident on 3 February 2023, when a worker was seriously injured after being struck by hot bitumen discharged from a vehicle-mounted melter.

Capital Lines and Signs plead guilty to an offence pursuant to 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 full judgment against the company can be read on the NSW Caselaw website at SafeWork NSW v Capital Lines & Signs Pty Ltd - NSW Caselaw.

Capital Lines and Signs Pty Ltd has the right to appeal against its sentence.

Workers who have concerns about workplace health and safety can anonymously contact SafeWork on 13 10 50 or through the Speak Up Save Lives website.

Business owners and workers can access a range of resources to help manage the risks of working with mobile plant and vehicles around road construction projects on the SafeWork NSW website.

SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer said:

"Working with hot materials and mobile plant carries well-known risks. Employers must identify those risks and ensure the appropriate controls are in place to protect their workers.

"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."

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