Warehouse Crash Leaves Young Worker with Leg Amputation After Gruesome Collision
A young labourer has endured unimaginable suffering after a horrific warehouse accident resulted in the amputation of his lower leg, his heartbroken mother has revealed. The full extent of Zayne Krupowicz's injuries and the subsequent legal fallout have now been laid bare in court documents, highlighting severe workplace safety failures.
The Catastrophic Incident at Coco Republic's Warehouse
Zayne Krupowicz was working at the Coco Republic furniture warehouse in Pemulwuy, located in Sydney's western suburbs, in February 2022 when disaster struck. The New South Wales District Court heard that the electric pallet rider he was operating collided with another pallet rider driven by a colleague. This devastating impact caused a compound fracture to his right foot, an injury so severe that it ultimately necessitated the surgical amputation of his leg below the knee.
It is important to note that no fault is being attributed to Coco Republic in this reporting. The warehouse stored heavy furniture and homewares, some weighing up to 350 kilograms, on full-height racks. These items were routinely moved using forklifts, pallet riders, and pallet jacks, creating a busy and potentially hazardous environment.
A Mother's Account of 'Sheer Agony' and Broken Dreams
Julie Ann Krupowicz, Zayne's mother, has publicly described her son's ordeal as 'sheer agony'. In an emotional video statement, she detailed the traumatic weeks following the accident.
'My kind, caring, big-hearted son Zayne... had a terrible accident that has led to him broken and struggling to understand why this has happened to him,' she said. 'The surgeons couldn't make a decision. Two-and-a-half weeks of sheer agony, not knowing what would happen.'
She explained that the main bone in his foot had rotated and snapped, with critical artery damage limiting blood supply. Despite six separate operations in a desperate attempt to save the limb, doctors were forced to amputate.
'My boy was absolutely broken. Each day that passed he suffered tremendous amounts of pain - not only physical, [but] emotional pain that was overwhelming,' Ms Krupowicz continued. 'My son's dreams and plans ripped away. Hearing him say he couldn't fight anymore, that he just wanted to die... and so they took his leg, leaving me with a shadow of my son.'
Court Exposes Systemic Safety Failures by Labour Hire Firm
The court heard that Mr Krupowicz was an employee of Momentum Consulting Group Pty Ltd, a labour hire business that had directed him to work for Saveba Pty Ltd, trading as Coco Republic, starting in September 2021. He was one of 28 workers placed at the site between May 2021 and February 2022.
In a ruling delivered last week, Judge Andrew Scotting found Momentum Consulting guilty of failing to ensure the health and safety of Mr Krupowicz. The company was ordered to pay a fine of $125,000. Judge Scotting stated the risks faced by the labour hire workers 'included a risk of death'.
The judge's findings revealed a catalogue of safety oversights:
- A senior Momentum Consulting employee conducted an 'inadequate' work health and safety inspection in May 2021.
- This inspection failed to identify the use of pallet riders at the warehouse and the associated risks.
- The company did not obtain a proper written job description for the 'furniture assembler' role from Saveba.
- Momentum Consulting failed to verify that its labour hire workers were receiving appropriate training, including a basic site induction, from Saveba.
John Patrick, Managing Director of Momentum Consulting Group, offered an unreserved apology for the injury and stress caused to Mr Krupowicz and his family. The court heard the company has since retrained all its employees on safety practices and offered Mr Krupowicz training for an office-based role, which he declined.
In a related but separate court case concluded last year, Saveba Pty Ltd was fined $390,000 for its role in the incident. The case underscores the critical responsibilities of both host employers and labour hire firms in maintaining safe working environments to prevent such life-altering tragedies.
