CHALLENGE Australian Dairy has pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work place. It was fined $20 000 for a 2005 incident when a worker lost part of his finger.
In January 2005, an employee used his finger to clear excess cheese on an unguarded cheese block making machine. He had previously been shown how to clear the built-up cheese by scraping it away with a metal bar. His finger became trapped and his finger tip was amputated.
The company has since fixed a clear Perspex guard over the potentially hazardous machine parts at the company’s Capel cheese factory in south-west Western Australia. It has also introduced a new work procedure using high pressure water to clean off any build-up of cheese.

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