Workers at a plant where a man was crushed to death by a 12-tonne crane had previously complained about its operator driving too fast, a judge has heard.
The Narellan Pools corporation pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Friday to conducting business while negligent and causing the death of a worker, and was fined $1.5 million.
Judge William Everson said the charge was the most serious of its type and equivalent to industrial manslaughter.
“This is no doubt a serious breach that led to a tragic outcome,” Everson said.
Kamndiin Turner, 42, was killed on August 19, 2021 at the Narellan Pools Queensland Manufacturing Facility in the Gold Coast suburb of Stapylton as he guided a four-wheeled mobile crane moving a 650-kilogram fibreglass pool shell.
The Ipswich man was working as a dogger holding a guideline for the pool before the crane’s operator drove towards him and ran him over before reversing back over his body.
Work Health and Safety prosecutor Simon Nicholson said Turner died from asphyxia due to his lower abdomen being crushed.
“Another worker came to the assistance of Mr Turner, first aid was administered, however Mr Turner was declared dead soon afterwards,” Nicholson said.
Nicholson played a short security camera video that captured part of the incident to Everson.
The crane could be seen transferring the pool shell from an industrial building to a yard with the load swinging from side to side due to the vehicle’s speed before a worker was seen running for help.
Nicholson said workers had previously complained to management about the crane’s operator, Lyall Francis Tadman, claiming he was driving too fast and on one occasion hitting a parked car.
Tadman pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court in January 2024 to failing to comply with a health and safety duty.
He was fined $25,000 and no conviction was recorded.
Everson said Narellan Pools had failed to anticipate the danger of people working in concert with a mobile crane.
“It is mind-boggling that [Narellan Pools and its safety consultant] did not identify the risks when moving huge pools,” Everson said.
As well as the $1.5 million fine, a conviction was recorded against the corporation.