CAPITOL Chilled Foods, owners of Canberra Milk, has been fined $300,000 and convicted of Category 2 charges after the company pleaded guilty before the ACT Industrial Court of seriously injuring a delivery driver.

Last year the company, which is part of the Bega Group, pleaded guilty to charges laid against it for the serious injury of delivery driver Matthew Thompson, who in March 2021 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.

WorkSafe ACT commissioner Jacqueline Agius said she was pleased to see that the sentencing reflected the seriousness of the incident and the importance of work health and safety at every workplace.

“Today’s sentencing gives a clear message to all duty holders, they must comply with their work health and safety obligations and if they don’t, they will be held to account,” she said.

“I am so pleased to see our court system appropriately penalising these breaches.

“Serious injuries and incidents are preventable, which is why work health and safety practices must be a priority in every workplace, at every time and for every worker.”