A prosecution by WorkSafe against Visy Packaging Pty Ltd proceeded in Wodonga Magistrate Court yesterday with magistrate John Murphy saying the company has acted responsibly and professionally since the incident in 2008.

The company pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to ensure a workplace exit was safe and two other charges were struck out.

The court was told a woman working as a casual at the company site in Melrose Drive was hit by a forklift on December 8, 2008, and suffered severe injuries to her left leg.

She was taken to hospital and needed extensive treatment including skin grafting.

The company was aware of traffic management and safety issues with forklift and pedestrians after a previous incident at its Shepparton factory.

Prosecutor Trevor Wraight said a risk assessment was done at the Wodonga plant in April 2008.

Mr Wraight said Visy was facing a maximum penalty of $283,550 and WorkSafe was seeking $3895 costs.

“It was probably a matter of good luck that this worker was not killed,” Mr Wraight said.

Barrister Rob Taylor said it was the company’s first prosecution since it was incorporated in 2000.

The forklift driver was going forward and had his view obscured by a pallet of cans when he should have been going backwards.

The plant was noisy with the woman wearing hearing protection.

Mr Taylor said new traffic management plans have been implemented with a total cost of $275,000 at the Wodonga plant, $240,000 at Shepparton and with an overall total of $680,000 including other facilities.

He said the company now had a significant culture about safety.

Mr Murphy said the precautions at the Wodonga plant in 2008 were totally inadequate.

He said there would have been a hive of activity where the accident happened and workers were entitled to be safe.

“I am satisfied that the company has shown genuine remorse,” Mr Murphy said.

He ordered costs against the company and imposed a $112,5000 fine be paid to the Marie Tehan Memorial Fund at Melbourne University for medical research.