Business fined $45,000 after worker severed finger in dumpling machine

A business has been fined $45,000 after a worker's fingertip was amputated by a part of a dumpling machine at a factory in Melbourne's south-east.

The worker's index finger was partially amputated when his fingertip was pulled into a moving drive chain inside a dumpling machine while he was undertaking routine maintenance in November 2021.

WorkSafe found there were "entanglement risks" in two other parts of the dumpling machinery.

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My Crazy Auntie's Food Pty Ltd was sentenced in the Dandenong Magistrates' Court last week after being found guilty of four charges including one charge of failing to provide a safe system of work.

The court heard the company could have reduced the risks by installing guarding over the drive chain that did not have an open section underneath, and instructed workers to power down the machine prior to maintenance.

WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Narelle Beer said any employer failing to ensure the safety of their machinery was putting their workers at serious risk of harm.

"There is no excuse for employers not taking every reasonable step to ensure machinery is operating safely," she said.

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"That includes making sure appropriate guarding is in place to protect workers, and that they know how to stay safe while operating and maintaining machinery."

The company was fined $45,000, as well as an extra $5372 in costs.

According to an Australian Securities and Investments Commission notice, My Crazy Auntie's Food Pty Ltd went into liquidation on March 2.