Springvale shopping centre fined after forklift injures grocery worker

Incident Overview

A grocery worker suffered chest injuries when a forklift struck her in a shared loading bay at Springvale Shopping Centre in Melbourne’s south-east. A 30 October 2026 WorkSafe Victoria release reports that the shopping centre’s owners corporation was convicted and fined following the December 2023 incident.

Workplace, Location and Time

The worker was employed by KFL Supermarket Pty Ltd, a grocer operating within the shopping centre. She entered the loading bay to collect a delivery of vegetables. The court heard the incident occurred in December 2023; no exact date or time was given.

Forklift Incident and Injuries

A co-worker was moving stock with a forklift. The load, about 1.4 metres high, obstructed the operator’s forward view. The forklift struck the worker, crushing her between its load and a pallet of vegetables. She suffered chest injuries, including three broken ribs, and spent three days in hospital.

Investigation and Court Outcomes

WorkSafe’s investigation found no system to separate pedestrians from forklifts in the loading bay, and no pedestrian walkways between the building, palletised stock and waste compactors, clearly marked loading zones, exclusion zone or traffic management plan. Investigators also found records showing that, after a 2019 independent risk assessment, the shopping centre was aware of pedestrian risks and available controls but had not implemented measures to separate pedestrians from mobile plant.

Owners Corporation PS:423637R, trading as Springvale Shopping Centre, was found guilty of failing to ensure a workplace under its management and control was safe and without risks to health. The Dandenong Magistrates’ Court convicted it and imposed a $60,000 fine, plus $28,159 in costs. KFL Supermarket, which employed both workers, was separately fined $43,000 without conviction in January 2026 for failing to provide necessary information, instruction and training. These were separate court outcomes.

Why We Report Workplace Accidents

We record serious injuries and the regulator findings that follow them to keep attention on preventable risks at shared workplaces. This case shows why the movement of forklifts and pedestrians through the same loading area warrants clear separation and traffic controls.