Thursday 29th April 2021

Charges laid over severe burns inflicted on young ringer in NT. 

A cattle mustering contractor has been charged with four breaches of the Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011, by NT WorkSafe after a 44-gallon Avgas drum exploded and left an 18-year old worker with severe burns.

It is alleged the contractor and his workers were at a camp on Montejinni Station, approximately 320 kilometres southwest of Katherine, mustering cattle. NT WorkSafe alleges the contractor directed two workers to use a 44-gallon Avgas drum as a rubbish bin by cutting the lid off it.

While the contractor and other workers left the camp to muster cattle, the two workers attempted to wash the drum, then an 18-year old worker cut the drum with an angle grinder, causing an explosion that resulted in burns to their hands, arms, face and nasal passage.

Despite the first aider at Montejinni Station assessing the injuries as first and second-degree burns, NT Worksafe alleges the contractor did not contact emergency services or arrange for the injured worker to be transported to receive appropriate medical treatment.

The contractor is facing the most serious charge under section 31 of the Act, which is known as a Category 1 offence for a serious workplace incident that does not involve death. He is also charged with failing to notify NT WorkSafe of the incident until seven days after it occurred.

The matter is listed for mention in the Darwin Local Court on 9 June 2021.

Read the full article on the NT WorkSafe website.