Department of Education Fined $150k After Student's Fingers Severed by Guillotine

The Victorian Department of Education has been fined $150,000 after a year 10 student had three fingers severed by a guillotine in a jewellery design class.

The Department of Education pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching the Occupational Health and Safety Act in Wodonga Magistrates' Court today.

Incident Details

In a summary of agreed facts read to the court, the guillotine was identified as a Metal Master Treadle Guillotine model SG416A, operated by a foot pedal, that lowered a metal beam and created a shear point with the guillotine table.

The court also heard that the machine had no rear guarding.

Students left unsupervised, an art teacher at Beechworth Secondary College was supervising a jewellery class on February 9 2024 when a student, known as C, had asked if they could use a specific guillotine located in a back room attached to a main classroom.

The guillotine in that room was not in direct line of sight to the main classroom.

Another teacher then entered the classroom and asked the art teacher about a filing cabinet outside.

The two teachers stepped outside to deal with the cabinet, leaving four students unsupervised.

One student, referred to in court as M, operated the machine by pressing the pedal while the student who was injured measured metal at the rear, with his hand away from the cutting blade but still near the shear point between the edge of the beam and the table.

The injured student confirmed his fingers and hands were clear while holding metal at the rear of the machine, then told M to cut.

As M started to press the pedal, student C yelled at him to stop because he could see the other student's hand was still in the danger zone.

But the beam had been lowered to the table, severing three of the student's left fingertips.

The student was flown to Royal Melbourne Hospital, and stayed there for nine days after the incident.

Investigation and Aftermath

Although a safe work procedure existed and risk assessments had been conducted in previous years, no risk assessment or competency records were completed from the beginning of the first term of 2024 until the day of the class.

WorkSafe were also notified of the incident and attended the school a few days later on February 12.

A department investigation found inadequate supervision, a lack of guarding and signage on the machine and missing training records.

A prohibition notice also required the guillotine be locked, have extra signage, and be operated only by trained staff.

The case was heard in Wodonga Magistrates' Court.

The court heard that later that month two new guillotines, with guarding on their rear, replaced the older models.

In March 2024 the school's principal told inspectors she had not found any documented risk assessments for the class in question.

The department also updated and published its plant and equipment management policy and safe work procedures online to improve accessibility and visibility for school staff after the incident.

Court Proceedings

Defence lawyer Felicity Fox told the court the department's investigation and actions showed its commitment to safety.