The Year 11 student suffered broken and cut fingers after catching them in a rope while untying one of the company's boats from a floating tuna farm in June 2005.

The court found he had not had a proper safety induction because he boarded the boat late and that he was not properly supervised.

SafeWork SA director Michele Patterson said the case highlighted the vulnerability of work experience students.

"Our experience and statistics show young people are always at greater risk of being hurt at work, and this incident shows how otherwise good systems can still fail," Ms Patterson said.