Industrial manslaughter charges show employers can’t put a price on the lives of SA workers

South Australian unions have welcomed criminal charges laid against the directors of an Adelaide company who allegedly caused the death of a worker through a gross breach of their health and safety duties.

These charges are the first laid under new laws which made industrial manslaughter a criminal offence in July 2024.

SA Unions Secretary Dale Beasley said that these charges send a clear message to every employer: “If you gamble with workers’ lives, you’ll go to jail.”

Employers found guilty of killing a worker through recklessness or negligence face up to 20 years imprisonment.

28-year-old Lachlan Carslake was killed two years ago when a metal object was ejected from a milling machine that he was operating at Nylastex Engineering Solutions in Edwardstown.

A SafeWork SA investigation has alleged that a safety switch on the machine was disabled, allowing it to operate at dangerous speeds with a moveable guard left open. Investigators allege that an external technician warned the company about the disabled switch only two days before Mr Carslake was killed.

Quotes attributable to SA Unions Secretary Dale Beasley

“Every single workplace death is preventable. Seeing the first charges laid for industrial manslaughter should make it crystal clear in the mind of every employer that cutting corners on safety is a crime which can land you in jail.”

“Workplace deaths aren’t just statistics. Every worker that doesn’t come home leaves a gaping hole in the lives of their families, friends, and workmates.”

“Unions fought hard to make industrial manslaughter a criminal offence. When bosses can kill a worker and come away with a fine, then workplace deaths are just the cost of doing business. Seeing employers face jail time for breaching their safety duties finally makes it clear that you can’t put a price on the lives of South Australian workers.”