City Way Demolition Pty Ltd was convicted and fined $40,000 after their employee fell through a skylight at a residential site and fractured his spine. The company did not participate in the court hearing and was sentenced in their absence.
In October 2022 three employees of City Way Demolition were manually removing roof tiles from a single-story residential building as part of the demolition process. During the process, one of the employees fell through a fibreglass sheet on the garage roof, sustaining vertebrae fractures that have left him unable to return to work.
Witnesses had observed at least two of the employees working on the roof with no fall protection in place. WorkSafe found that it was reasonably practicable for City Way Demolition to have eliminated or reduced the risk of falls by using a passive fall prevention device, a work positioning system, or a fall arrest system.
Following the incident the company failed to comply with a WorkSafe notice requesting information and documents by the end of March 2023. WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Sam Jenkin said, “The blatant disregard for safety – by not having any fall protection in place and then refusing to cooperate with WorkSafe’s investigation – is very disappointing.”
Read more: Company fined $40,000 after worker's fall through skylight | WorkSafe Victoria