Trucking company sentenced after worker pinned beneath axle

The Sunshine Magistrates' Court sentenced the company without conviction on Thursday 20 February and ordered it to pay $6993 in costs.

In February 2023, the worker was removing and replacing an axle weighing about 350 kilograms. After jack stands had been removed, a single hydraulic bottle jack was supporting the axle.

As the worker climbed out from beneath the trailer, the jack and axle toppled, trapping him against the concrete floor. A co-worker heard his screams and used a nearby forklift to lift the axle off him. His right arm was crushed and punctured at the elbow, requiring surgery and about two months away from work.

WorkSafe's investigation found the company had no documented system for removing and refitting semi-trailer axles. There was also no requirement to use additional supports to prevent axles from falling during the work.

The court found the company could reasonably have maintained a system that prohibited anyone from working or placing any body part beneath a vehicle or trailer supported by a bottle jack. That system should also have restricted hydraulic bottle jacks to lifting vehicles or trailers, rather than holding them in position or bearing their weight.

WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Sam Jenkin said employers were responsible for ensuring formal procedures were in place to manage the risks of working on heavy vehicles.

"Working underneath raised vehicles comes with inherent risks, but the ways to manage them are well known and low cost so there are absolutely no excuses for employers that fail to take the necessary steps to keep workers safe."

How Blue Safe can help: Our free WHS self-check can help you review your business's approach to workplace health and safety and identify areas that may need closer attention. Take the free WHS self-check