The Melbourne Magistrates' Court recently heard that TK Elevator Australia Pty Ltd faced charges related to a serious near miss in which a worker a from another company, hired by TK Elevator Australia, accidentally dropped a testing device from a height, almost hitting another worker on the ground floor.
Fortunately, the second worker was not seriously hurt.
WorkSafe alleged TK Elevator should have provided proper safety training and prepared safe work methods before the testing and tagging work in the lift shaft began. To resolve the charges, TK Elevator Australia entered into an agreement called an 'Enforceable Undertaking.'
Under this agreement, TK must conduct safety training for its field technicians, provide safety training for its managers and supervisors who hire subcontractors, establish a permit system to identify subcontractors allowed to work in elevator shafts, distribute safety kits to its teams, donate money to a safety organisation, and fund safety sessions for apprentices and its workers.
The company must fulfill these requirements as part of the undertaking, and if they fail to do so, WorkSafe may reinstate the charges.