A Perth-based rock candy manufacturer has pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace, after a worker’s finger was severely injured in an unguarded machine.
Baralda, trading as Perth Candy, was fined $20,000 by the Perth Magistrates Court.
This followed an incident in June 2005 when an employee’s fingers touched unguarded horizontal and vertical blades in a humbug cutting machine, and was pulled into them. The machine crushed and chopped his fingers.
The worker pushed the emergency stop button and successfully terminated the machine’s operation. His middle finger was trapped in the machine up to the middle knuckle and the machine had to be dismantled to free his finger. This took between 15 minutes and half an hour.
His right middle finger was severely injured and his right ring finger was severely lacerated. The middle finger was later amputated at the middle knuckle.
According to WorkSafe Western Australia, occupational health and safety legislation regarding machine guarding has been in place for a long time, but the message did not seem to be getting through to employers.
The authority also said the cost of installing machine guarding is far less than the cost in human and economic terms of a serious injury.

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