Souvlaki GR in Plenty, Melbourne fined $75,000 after employee’s hair caught in rotisserie machine
A takeaway shop in Melbourne’s northeast has been fined $75,000 after an employee’s hair became stuck in a rotisserie machine.
The 22-year-old was working at Souvlaki GR in Plenty in February 2022 when the accident occurred.
She was reaching for a takeaway container lid placed on a high shelf when her ponytail became entangled in a turning cog of a rotisserie machine.
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A hairdresser from a nearby business was called in to cut the woman’s hair from the machine.
The employee lost a “significant” amount of hair and suffered swelling to her head, WorkSafe Victoria said.
She was taken to hospital and did not return to work for two weeks.
According to WorkSafe, the woman and a co-worker said a training night was held by the takeaway business after the incident occurred.
“(The employees said it was) the first time they became aware of the existence of workplace policies and procedures and their location in the workplace,” the work safety watchdog said.
“It was reasonably practicable for the company to have provided and maintained a safe system of work which required employees to wear personal protective equipment, namely hairnets and/or securing long hair in a bun.”
The shop also should not have stored the takeaway containers above the rotisserie machine.
Souvlaki GR faced the Heidelberg Magistrates Court on July 25 charged with failing to provide and maintain a safe system of work and failing to provide adequate information, instruction and training.
It was fined $75,000 and ordered to pay $5682 in costs.
WorkSafe Health and Safety executive director Sam Jenkin said young and inexperienced workers in the hospitality industry deserved proper training.
“Simple measures such as storing items away from danger areas and ensuring workers secured hair appropriately could have prevented a traumatic physical injury,” he said.
