A man was fatally struck by metal debris ejected from a tractor-mounted slasher while standing approximately five metres away. The contractor knew the risk and had documented a 30 metre exclusion zone, but the work continued.

A robot did not suddenly become confused, develop intent or decide that a worker was a box. It performed the movement its control system allowed it to perform while a person remained inside its hazardous operating envelope. On 10 Jan 26, a worker entered part of an automated packaging line at Multisteps’ Narangba factory in Queensland to inspect a sensor. The machine had reportedly stopped twice within approximately ten minutes and was known to malfunction regularly. While th