A teenager has been left with horrific permanent injuries after shocking accident at her work meant her arm was dragged into a roller.
Courtney Herbert, 20, was employed at a salt factory when she found her left arm trapped in the machinery.
On April 17 2020, the then 18-year-old had been brushing excess salt from a conveyor belt at the Pacific Salt factory in Whyalla, South Australia.
Upon doing this, an unaware Courtney got her shirt caught into the machine, and this then dragged her arm right into the roller.
Court documents have revealed the desperate measures Courtney's colleagues resorted to in order to save her.
It is reported that one person tried grabbing a nearby spanner to release the tension of the roller, so she could pull her arm out.
Another worker frantically turned off the machine to stop the conveyer belt crushing her arm.
Courtney was then immediately rushed to hospital after being left in agonising pain following the shock incident.
She received surgery, and was left with damage to her tendons.
Following the incident, Pacific Salt - which is the producer behind the famous Olsson's Salt - was taken to the South Australian Employment Tribunal.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Work Health and Safety Act.
A judgement published on July 29 found Pacific Salt had actually failed to provide a safe system of work - and the incident could have been avoided.
It was also pointed out by Deputy President Magistrate Cole that no emergency stop had been installed on the conveyor.
Additionally, and the return rollers on the devices were not properly guarded.
In a tragic victim impact statement, which was read out to court by Courtney's lawyer, she said that the then ex factory worker still suffers from stress, pain and discomfort following the incident.
The statement read: "She says that she felt unsupported when she returned to work after about two months, and she left her employment with the defendant soon after.
"Ms Herbert still has emotional effects from the incident, including fear of conveyors."
Courtney has also revealed that more than two year after the accident, she is still experiencing pain in her arm.
"There is still a big scar and tendon damage, it is still hard to use my arm," she told The Advertiser.
Following the tragic incident, $20,000 AUD (£11,000) installing guards and an emergency stop control device on the conveyor.
Moreover, more than $300,000 AUD (£174,000) has been spent on upgrading existing guarding, and installing new ones on the equipment.
In addition to this, Magistrate Cole labelled the incident a 'serious regulatory breach' and imposed a conviction - fining the company $75,000 AUD (£43,000).
