Energy giant AGL has been convicted and fined $60,000 following a major safety failure that exposed employees to dangerous levels of toxic lead during the decommissioning of the Torrens Island A Power Station in Adelaide.

The sentence was handed down in the South Australian Employment Tribunal after SafeWork SA initiated criminal proceedings. AGL pleaded guilty to failing to comply with its health and safety duties to its workforce.

Dangerous Dust Left Unchecked

The hazardous exposure occurred between October 2022 and April 2023 during decommissioning works. Workers were tasked with de-energizing, cutting, and removing large quantities of paper-insulated lead-covered (PILC) cables.

This heavy-duty process involved cutting the cables into one-meter segments and placing them into drums for disposal. The operation generated significant amounts of debris and fine lead dust. While AGL provided standard personal protective equipment—including hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, boots, and long-sleeved clothing—it failed to provide adequate respiratory protection, such as full-face respirators, to prevent workers from inhaling the toxic dust.

Routine testing later revealed that five employees had elevated blood lead levels as a direct result of the safety lapse.

Court Slams 'Obvious' Safety Failure

In his sentencing remarks, Deputy President Judge Miles Crawley stated that the risk of lead exposure from cutting lead-sheathed cables should have been an obvious danger for the company to address. "Risk assessment protocols are only as effective as the way in which they are implemented," Judge Crawley noted.

SafeWork SA Executive Director Glenn Farrell reinforced the severity of the incident, reminding businesses that lead remains a highly dangerous contaminant in heavy industry. "Lead exposure remains a significant workplace health risk, particularly during demolition, decommissioning and maintenance activities where hazardous materials may be disturbed," Farrell said. "Employers must ensure all foreseeable sources of hazardous exposure are identified and appropriate controls are implemented before work begins."

Alongside the $60,000 fine, AGL was ordered to pay SafeWork SA’s legal costs of $2,640.

AGL Pledges Safety Reforms

Responding to the conviction, an AGL spokesperson stated the energy provider has cooperated fully with authorities and has taken immediate steps to ensure such an incident never happens again.

"Health and safety is a core value of AGL and is an integral part of the way we work," the spokesperson said. "While we acknowledge that on this occasion AGL fell short of our own standards, the health and safety of our people, both employees and contractors, remains our highest priority."

According to the company, AGL has now instituted a comprehensive "working with lead" safety protocol, overhauled its hazard identification procedures, and rolled out mandatory specialized training for all personnel on site.