Capitol Chilled Foods (Australia) Pty Limited were recently convicted of Category 2 charges with a $300,000 fine by the ACT Industrial Court Magistrate. The fine of $300,000 included a 25% reduction for an early guilty plea.
In 2022, the company pleaded guilty to charges laid against it for the serious injury of Mr Matthew Thompson. In March 2021 Mr Thompson was working as a delivery driver and was unloading from the rear of his van in Griffith when he was struck by a forklift and pinned to the back step of the van.
The fine issued by the Court set a precedent for fines in the ACT and should serve as a warning to all employers across industries in the ACT.