Print Logistics fined after worker severely injured in industrial guillotine incident
A routine printing job turned into a nightmare for a Broadmeadows worker in 2024, when his arm became entangled in an industrial guillotine and he suffered life-changing injuries.
The woman suffered a sloughing injury and two fractures, with skin and tissue torn off her arm, along with two tendon injuries, one completely and the other partially, after being asked to assist a colleague with a task she should never have been exposed to.
According to WorkSafe Victoria summary judgment, the incident occurred on March 5, 2024 at Print Logistics (Aust) Pty Ltd, a company specializing in printing and logistics.
The worker was assisting the guillotine operator with an emergency cutting job. Since the sheets were too small for the machine, the operator asked the woman to hold the paper against the back of the Polar Trimmer; this position was designed to be securely guarded but did not have protective rear guard at the time.
Investigations revealed that the company had no standard operating procedure for the guillotine, no written safety policy, and no operating instructions for the equipment.
These instructions specifically warned against touching the machine while it was operating and required the machine to be disabled if the safety covers were faulty.
The worker was hospitalized and underwent surgery to repair damaged tendons and broken bones.
Degloving injuries are particularly severe because they often expose muscles, nerves, and tendons and can cause permanent disability.
Print Logistics pleaded guilty to workplace safety offenses at Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court this month.
The company was fined $30,000 and ordered to pay $9,627 in costs.
The judge stated that the company had been operating for 50 years without incident, filed early criminal charges and had a low risk of re-offending.
However, the court emphasized the seriousness of the violation, systemic security failures, and the importance of sending a general deterrence message.
Print Logistics is a family-owned printing and logistics company that has been in business for more than 50 years across four generations, according to its website.
The company’s Melbourne-based headquarters includes a 4500sq m printing facility and a 600sq m storage warehouse in Broadmeadows, supporting in-house printing, inventory management, distribution and national and international supply.
