Waste recycling company Resource Recovery Solutions Pty Ltd has been found guilty of gross negligence over an incident at its automated recycling plant where a worker’s arm was amputated at the shoulder.

The worker’s arm was caught and dragged into the crush point between a conveyer belt when he reached in to remove a rock. There was no guarding in place and no lockout tag-out procedure followed to isolate the moving parts of the plant when removing blockages.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Darren Kavanagh said the gross negligence verdict was significant as it is the first time an entity has been found guilty of this offence under the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 (WA).

“This complete disregard for worker safety is the precise reason we have gross negligence provisions in the state’s workplace safety laws, and this case should send out a strong warning to all employers to protect the safety of their workers,” Mr Kavanagh said.

Resource Recovery Solutions Pty Ltd faces a penalty of up to $500,000 for the breach. The fine will be handed down at a later date.