Energy company AGL has been convicted and fined $60,000 after workers were exposed to lead during a decommissioning project at the Torrens Island A Power Station in Adelaide, Australia. The company pleaded guilty to failing to comply with health and safety obligations to its employees.
The exposure occurred between October 2022 and April 2023 while large quantities of paper insulated lead covered (PILC) cables were de-energised, cut into 1-metre lengths, and removed for disposal. This process generated dust and debris containing lead.
SafeWork SA reported that testing found five employees had elevated blood lead levels, with lead detected in workplace dust. Workers were provided with personal protective equipment including long sleeves, long pants, boots, safety glasses, hard hats, and gloves.
In sentencing remarks, Deputy President Judge Miles Crawley stated the work "should have been an obvious source of the risk of lead exposure needing to be addressed." SafeWork SA executive director Glenn Farrell emphasized the case highlights "the importance of thorough hazard identification and risk assessment processes for known materials that are known to cause harm." Farrell added that where lead hazards exist, workers must be equipped with suitable protective equipment and safe work systems to minimise exposure.
AGL was sentenced by the South Australian Employment Tribunal on Friday, August 10, 2026.
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