WA Meat Co‑operative Fined $785,000 Over Fatal Workplace Incident

Western Australia’s largest sheep and lamb co‑operative has been hit with a $785,000 fine after a worker was killed in a machinery accident at its Katanning processing plant.

The victim, a Tongan national employed under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, died in December 2022 after becoming trapped in moving parts while carrying out a shutdown procedure. The task required hauling hessian bags weighing up to 30 kilograms up two grease‑slick staircases and emptying them into machinery fitted with rotating paddles.

Court proceedings revealed that the only colleague nearby had briefly left the area. On returning moments later, he found the man had been pulled into the equipment and stopped the machine. The cause of death was recorded as traumatic asphyxiation and severe skeletal injuries.

Prosecutors argued the company failed to provide a safe working environment, with the hazardous process posing risks even to trained staff. The case underscores ongoing concerns about safety standards in high‑risk industrial settings.