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Introduction
Harmony Operations Pty Ltd, a Wagyu beef producer, has been convicted and fined $140,000 following a fatal electrocution incident at its cattle feedlot in Gerang Gerung, western Victoria, in 2020.
Details of the Incident
On November 12, 2020, 29-year-old employee Adrian Wilde was fatally electrocuted when the telehandler boom he was using to move hay bales touched overhead powerlines. Despite warnings from other workers, Wilde stepped out of the vehicle cabin, leading to his death.
Operational Context
Harmony Operations Pty Ltd was charged with failing to provide and maintain a safe working environment and failing to provide necessary information and instruction for safe work practices. The company pleaded guilty to two charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, acknowledging it did not have adequate safety measures around powerlines.
Court’s Decision and Impact on Victims
Magistrate Amina Bhai emphasized that the sentencing was for the risk to which employees were exposed, not directly for causing Wilde’s death. The court heard the impact of Wilde’s death on his family, including his parents and children.