Burns from a wall-mounted heater that led to a 90-year-old man's death have cost an aged-care provider $66,000 in fines.
Blue Cross Community Care Services was fined by Broadmeadows Magistrates Court on August 6 for failing to reduce or eliminate the risk of serious injury.
Court documents say the man, who was unable to walk, rolled out of his bed in his private bedroom at Blue Cross Glenroy in 2021.
His feet rested against a hydronic heater mounted on a wall across from his bed for some time resulting in burns to both of his feet.
He was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital for urgent care, but was turned away because of the aged-care home's COVID-19 status.
He was instead offered in-home treatment by the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Over the following weeks his burns deteriorated and in November, four of his toes were amputated on his left foot and he received a skin graft on his right foot.
In March 2022, the resident died.
The cause of death was sepsis - complications of bilateral lower limb necrotic burns.
A WorkSafe inspector issued an improvement notice in December 2021 after being alerted to the incident in relation to the risk posed by hydronic heaters at the workplace.
The risk of hydronic heaters had been identified in the aged-care industry for some time, including an advisory from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission highlighting the dangers of hydronic heaters and the risks associated with furniture placement, room layouts and resident vulnerabilities.
"There was a risk of serious injury, being burns, arising from residents coming into prolonged contact with hydronic wall heaters in resident's rooms," WorkSafe said.
"There were 90 hydronic heaters located in residents' rooms at the workplace. The offender knew or ought to have known of the risk to its residents."
Blue Cross Community Care Group Services Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to a single offence of failing to reduce or eliminate risk of serious injuries.
Blue Cross was fined $66,000 without conviction and ordered to pay costs of $4132.
If the company had not pleaded guilty, it would have been sentenced, with conviction, to a fine of about $200,000.
