SA labour firm fined over worker's burns

A labour hire company has been fined $240,000 after a temporary migrant worker from Taiwan fell into a bath of caustic soda and suffered severe burns.

Yu-Hsiang Hsiao, 21, was working at an abattoir, east of Adelaide, in 2013 when he slipped from a concrete ledge and fell into the chemical bath up to his waist.

He managed to climb out and strip off his clothes but it took about three minutes for other staff to notice his calls for help and to rinse him down.

In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, Industrial Court Magistrate Stephen Lieschke said labour hire company Big Mars Pty Ltd, which had placed Mr Hsiao at the abattoir, admitted it did not have any health and safety policies.

He said the company, which pleaded guilty to not complying with its health and safety duties, had failed to take straightforward steps to ensure Mr Hsiao knew of the risks posed by his work and the dangerous chemicals he was using.

"It failed miserably to carry out any of its fundamental safety responsibilities," Mr Lieschke said.

"If it had done so Mr Hsiao is highly unlikely to have been injured."

Mr Hsiao suffered chemical burns to 32 per cent of his body and had numerous skin grafts and operations.

He was discharged from hospital in February 2014 and returned to Taiwan.