![GPI Automotive premises in Invermay. Picture Google Maps GPI Automotive premises in Invermay. Picture Google Maps](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/UXkRwrLedzicw8iY4DcGSg/47157a20-a45b-4de7-9733-807c493ca7a5.JPG/r1_0_495_278_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A national automotives firm which has a Launceston branch received a significant fine when sentenced in the Launceston Magistrates Court.
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GPI Automotive Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to a count of failing to comply with health and safety duty category two, which exposed its employees to the risk of serious injury or death.
The court heard that a company worker suffered serious injuries when he fell from racking facilities at an Invermay warehouse in 2021.
The court heard that the Launceston branch of the company in Herbert Street specialised in health and fitness equipment and automotive products.
On July 5 2021, the warehouse had three employees: a manager, an employee and a sales representative.
Ms Wilson said the manager Joseph Quittendon was using a Walkie stacker to put pallets up into an elevated storage bay.
A prosecutor said there was concern that the plywood on which a pallet of treadmills was to be placed was damaged after an employee heard a cracking sound.
Mr Quittendon asked the employee Lionel Helm to climb up to check the storage area.
The court heard that the manager had directed the employee to climb on the racks in circumstances where they were working under pressure and in circumstances where he did not want to do so himself.
After checking the plywood Mr Helm fell headfirst 1.3 metres and landed on his head on the concrete floor.
He suffered an extradural haemorrhage, a skull fracture and a fracture to the T7 vertebra.
In sentencing Magistrate Evan Hughes said they were serious injuries.
A victim impact statement revealed that Mr Helm was bedridden for two months and was unable to work for eight months.
The court heard that risk assessment had not been discussed at the time, and the company had never trained the employees and there were a number of health and safety failings
Mr Hughes said there was no discussion of the appropriateness of climbing on the racks and Mr Helm was not told not to climb on the racks.
The national firm had been sold soon after the incident in September 2022.
The court heard that the company's new owner had spent a significant amount on implementing a new culture of health and safety.
GPI had accepted that it had failed in its duty of care for the employee.
Mr Hughes said that the new ownership had taken significant steps to improve health and safety and had engaged a specialist consultant and provided training for employees.
He said that the company had co-operated with the workplace safety investigation and pleaded guilty at an early stage.
In addition the firm had no prior convictions.
"Balancing all these factors I believe the appropriate penalty to be a fine of $70,000," he said.