Residential construction company Ligure Constructions Pty Ltd have received a fine without conviction for their failure to comply with a prohibition notice served on them by a WorkSafe inspector.
In January 2023 WorkSafe inspectors visited a Mont Albert North site where multiple double storey townhouses were being constructed by Ligure Construction. They identified housekeeping issues, with excess materials, debris, timber off-cuts, concrete and steel laying about the workplace. There were no available skip bins for waste to be deposited. Inspectors also noted a lack of perimeter edge protection and stair void fall protection – matters which they discussed with Ligure Construction’s director. The inspectors issued an Improvement Notice to the company about the risks of slips, trips and falls due to poor housekeeping.
Two weeks later the inspectors returned and observed that perimeter timber stud wall installation was being undertaken on unit two, however, the stair voids in each of the three units were open with no perimeter guardrail edge protection in place, and housekeeping was still lacking. The inspectors issued a Prohibition Notice preventing further work on the first floors of three units until perimeter guardrails and stair void fall protections was installed.
Ten days later an inspector attended the workplace and noted that neither the Improvement Notice nor the Prohibition Notice had been complied with.
The following week an inspector attended the worksite again and observed that the fall protection systems had been installed and the Prohibition Notice complied with. Although there had been some attempt to address the housekeeping issues, the access and egress areas to the units were still impeded and therefore Ligure construction had not complied with the Improvement Notice.
Three weeks later an inspector once again noted poor workplace housekeeping throughout the worksite, including the access and egress areas – the Improvement Notice was still outstanding. It was only upon return to the worksite a month later that the inspector observed that the housekeeping issues had been resolved and the Improvement Notice complied with.
Ligure Construction pleaded guilty to one charge under s.111(4) of the OHS Act for failure to comply with an Improvement Notice and one charge under s.112(5) for failure to comply with a Prohibition Notice.
The slips, trips and falls risks presented by poor housekeeping are responsible for more than 3,000 serious injuries each year in Victoria. The outcomes include musculoskeletal injuries, as well as cuts, bruises, fractures and dislocations. HSRs can find slips, trips and falls action plan on our OHS Reps page Slips, trips and falls - general information - OHS Reps.
Read more: Prosecution Result Summaries and Enforceable Undertakings | WorkSafe Victoria
