A former Manus Island security guard claims the Commonwealth government and security firm G4S were warned about increasing violence at the detention centre and put her at risk during deadly riots.
Iranian asylum seeker Reza Berati died and 77 others were injured in three days of unrest at the detention centre in February 2014.
Chandra Osborne is one of 20 security guards alleging in Victoria's Supreme Court that the federal government and G4S failed to provide a safe workplace at the detention centre.
Representing Ms Osborne, barrister Tim Tobin said the government and G4S were given repeated warnings about rising violence at the centre, including that detainees were stockpiling makeshift weapons.
He said they were warned the fencing was inadequate, there were not enough security staff, no emergency plans and guards could not communicate with each other due to an insufficient number of radios.
"In the weeks leading up to the riots, the defendants knew that there had been protests and incidents of unrest by detainees, including violence and using makeshift weapons," he told the court on Monday.
"They knew the unrest was caused partly by uncertainty about the prospects of detainees settling in Australia, and knew basic security infrastructure was not in place."
During the first day of the riots he said Ms Osborne heard semi-automatic rifles and shotguns being fired and saw Manus Island locals breaking into the centre and throwing rocks at her over the fence.
"Blood and violence permeated throughout," he said.
Mr Tobin said she has suffered serious psychiatric injuries, including ongoing trauma and depression, as a result of the riots and unsafe working environment.
"She was, when she went to Manus Island, entitled to a working environment that was reasonably safe and in which she would be reasonably free from harm," he said.
Ms Osborne claims she is partially incapacitated for employment due to her injuries and is seeking compensation for loss of earnings in the past and future.
Multiple witnesses, including several other Manus Island security guards, will give evidence to the trial before Justice Andrea Tsalamandris.
