Victorian courts order local businesses to pay record $6.2 million in penalties over health and safety breaches in 2015-16

WorkSafe Victoria have revealed that over the 2015-16 financial year, 108 businesses and 21 individuals were fined totalling more than $6.2 million.

Of the 108 businesses, almost 40 were from construction sector. The worst offenders included:
A piling, foundations and ground engineering company which was convicted and fined $750,000 over the death of a worker who fell more than 40 metres when the mast of a piling rig collapsed at Southbank in 2011.
A mining services provider, which was convicted and fined a total of $600,000 following two incidents involving an overloaded barge working on the Patterson River. One of the incidents involved the barge capsizing, throwing three workers into the water and trapping one in the excavator in the water, seriously injuring him.
A residential builder, which was convicted and fined $300,000 over an incident in which a carpenter died after being crushed by a brick wall on a construction site at Brighton East in 2014.
A sign company, which was convicted and fined $250,000 over its involvement in the attachment of a timber hoarding to a wall which increased the risk of the wall collapsing at Carlton. The wall collapsed and killed three people in 2013.

A significant number of businesses in the manufacturing sector were also prosecuted. They included:
A conveyer belt manufacturer, which was fined $90,000 over an incident in 2014 in which an employee suffered serious arm injuries when he became caught in machinery beneath a moving conveyer belt.
A caravan manufacturer, which was convicted and fined $80,000 over an incident in 2014 in which an employee had two fingers severed while using an unguarded router.
A Chicken processer, which was convicted and fined $60,000 over an incident in 2014 where an employee suffered serious hand and arm injuries when she became caught in a giblet processor.

WorkSafe Chief Executive, Clare Amies, said the record amount of fines imposed by the courts in 2015-16 was a reminder to businesses and individuals of the significant penalties they faced if they did not comply with their health and safety obligations.

“WorkSafe is committed to improving workplace health and safety and, if it is found that employers have failed to provide a safe working environment for their workers, they can expect to face large fines and significant damage to their reputation,” Ms Amies said.

Don’t risk noncompliance. ISOsafe’s services will protect your business. We will prepare all safety documentation to demonstrate compliance. Call us now 1300 789 132 or email us at enquiries@isosafe.com.au, to learn more about our services for businesses and their owners.