Queensland sugar company MSF Sugar has been charged with industrial manslaughter over the electrocution death of a worker south of Cairns in 2019.
In a statement, Work Health and Safety Prosecutor Aaron Guilfoyle said he had charged MSF Sugar with industrial manslaughter under the Electrical Safety Act 2002, in relation to the death of Brett Quinn, 49, near Little Mulgrave in July 2019.
It will be alleged Mr Quinn was fatally electrocuted when a crane contacted or came in close proximity to overhead power lines in the course of work on a cane rail system.
The maximum penalty for industrial manslaughter is a $10 million fine.
This is the first prosecution for industrial manslaughter under the Electrical Safety Act since its introduction in 2017.
Mr Guilfoyle has also charged MSF Sugar with a category two offence under the Act for allegedly breaching an electrical safety duty and exposing multiple workers to a risk of serious injury or death.
The charge relates to the same incident and carries a maximum penalty of a fine of $1.5 million.
The charges against MSF Sugar will be mentioned in the Cairns Magistrates Court on September 7.
No other charges are expected to be laid over the incident.
MSF Sugar general counsel and company secretary Brad Egerton issued a response to the charges.
"Given that the matter is currently before the courts, it would not be appropriate for MSF Sugar to provide a statement at this point in time," Mr Egerton stated.
Read more: Death on North Queensland sugar cane farm
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Brandon Long
Brandon Long is a Queensland Country Life journalist based in Toowoomba.
Brandon Long is a Queensland Country Life journalist based in Toowoomba.
