A Queensland construction company, Adcon Vic Pty Ltd, was building the concrete superstructure on a Victorian construction site and engaged labour hire to operate tower cranes. Concerns raised by the labour hire dogman about working in risky location were dismissed by management, before he fell almost three metres to the level below. The Magistrates’ Court has imposed a $100,000 fine and recorded a conviction against the company. Representatives for Adcon Vic Pty Ltd did not attend the hearing.
It was reasonably practicable for Adcon Vic Pty Ltd to reduce the risk of falls identified by the dogman by installing flagging and/or bollards at least two metres from the live edge where a physical barrier was not practical, and to prevent anyone from entering such an exclusion zone before those measures were in place.
WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Sam Jenkin said it was unacceptable to ignore the dangers of unprotected edges on construction sites.
Employers have a duty to address hazards identified by employees, including labour hire employees, using the Hierarchy of Controls to eliminate the risk wherever possible, or reduce the level of risk by using passive fall prevention devices, positioning systems, fall arrest systems or other effective controls.
Read more: WorkSafe Victoria - Builder fined $100K after worker's three metre fall