Noodle restaurant fined $40,000 after dough mixer injures worker

MMPX Pty Ltd, trading as Bowltiful, pleaded guilty to two charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday 13 September.

The court imposed fines without conviction of $25,000 for failing to provide or maintain safe plant and $15,000 for failing to comply with a prohibition notice. The company was also ordered to pay $5,671 in costs.

The incident occurred in May 2023 while a 31-year-old worker was mixing ingredients. A mixing blade struck his hand and pulled it into the machine, causing the skin on his right hand to deglove.

WorkSafe inspectors found the mixer had no interlock guard. This meant it could keep running with the lid open, leaving workers exposed to its rotating paddles. Inspectors prohibited use of the mixer until the risk was addressed, but found it was still being used when they returned about a month later.

It was reasonably practicable for the company to fit interlocked physical guarding that allowed access to the danger area only when it was safe and prevented access at other times.

WorkSafe Executive Director Health and Safety Sam Jenkin said the incident showed why proper safety measures were critical for all machinery and equipment. "The lack of basic safeguards on this cooking equipment directly led to a preventable injury that could have been much worse for this worker," Mr Jenkin said.

"There is no excuse for businesses who fail to keep their workers safe, particularly when they are already well aware of the risks from particular machinery and equipment in their workplace."

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