Chef mangles hand at Chinese restaurant after using faulty equipment

A popular Chinese restaurant chain could be hit with fines over $150,000 for workplace safety breaches, after a chef accidently suffered cuts their hand in a terrifying accident involving a noodle maker.

On 2 March, Huanfan Liang, owner and director of Little Red Dumpling Kitchen, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court to four counts of failure to comply with health and safety duties, category two.

The court heard that in the incident that happened in 2018, a chef at the restaurant caught his left hand caught in the steel agitator of the machine while preparing food.

The chef cut his left hand severely and in a victim impact statement tendered to the court, said he was yet to regain full function in and his quality of life had been significantly impacted.

The court heard 33-year-old Mr Liang, didn’t pay attention to the distinct hazards of the faulty machine and failed to address any risks.

The faulty noodle maker was being used over a 16-month period.

Lawyers for and against Mr Liang agreed to a fine within the $100,000 to $150,000 range.

Mr Liang told the court he had spent $170,000 on upgrades to equipment to ensure safer practices since the 2018 incident.

Magistrate Mark Howden adjourned the matter, reserving his final decision for a later date.

Jonathan Jackson - 7-3-23