WorkSafe Victoria is calling on Victoria's solar sector and reminding employers there is no excuse for putting workers at risk of deadly falls.
Falls from height continue to cause serious workplace harm in the construction industry, with more than 2,300 workers injured and a further 20 sadly losing their lives since 2021.
WorkSafe and Solar Victoria are now sharing more information to strengthen compliance and enforcement activity in the solar installation sector.
Regular SafetyNet readers will have noticed a trend in recent prosecutions of solar installation companies persistently risking the safety of their workers and other people by failing to provide a safe system of work at heights – see here, and here, and here, and another one this week.
WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin said inspectors regularly encountered workers installing solar without adequate fall protection despite it being available on site.
"Employers know exactly how to prevent falls, which makes it even more devastating when workers are seriously injured or killed because basic safety measures have been ignored," he said.
WorkSafe has now developed a tool that integrates Solar Victoria installer notifications, enabling inspectors to identify activity in their area, target high-risk sites and consider an operator’s history – including those that haven’t been inspected before and those with a record of non-compliance.
Solar Victoria Chief Executive Officer Stan Krpan said working safety at height on solar jobs was non-negotiable.
"We are collaborating closely with WorkSafe to identify unsafe behaviour and remove those who do the wrong thing from the Solar Homes Program," Mr Krpan said. "Installers who fail to ensure their workers are provided with and use basic fall protection, like edge protection or harnesses, can expect serious consequences – including suspension or cancellation from the program."
Falls risks in the construction industry remain a priority enforcement area for WorkSafe, with a dedicated focus on the solar sector. "Our inspectors often hear excuses like 'it was just a quick job' or 'we just wanted to be in and out' but saving 10 or 20 minutes is never worth someone's life," Mr Jenkin said.
WorkSafe's Falls Basics offers free online workshops led by inspectors, giving employers practical advice and resources to prevent falls.
You can learn more about falls at our OHS Reps Prevention of falls and Working at Heights pages, and specific advice for solar installations at WorkSafe’s Working safely at heights during solar installations page and Safe Work Australia’s Guide to managing the risks of rooftop solar installation work.
Read more: Crackdown on falls risks in the solar sector | WorkSafe Victoria