$85,000 Fine After First-Year Apprentice Falls Three Metres at Residential Site
An air conditioning company, has been fined $85,000 (without conviction) and ordered to pay additional costs of $4,264, following a serious fall incident that injured a 24-year-old apprentice at a construction site in Ormond.
This is an abridgement of an article posted by WorkSafe Victoria.
An air conditioning company, has been fined $85,000 (without conviction) and ordered to pay additional costs of $4,264, following a serious fall incident that injured a 24-year-old apprentice at a construction site in Ormond.
In March 2024, the apprentice and two coworkers were installing air conditioning systems in a double-storey townhouse. The internal staircase had not been built yet, leaving a three-metre void between floors. Workers had installed a platform with a hatch door and ladder for access. To make room for hoisting AC units, the apprentice removed part of the platform, leaving the edge completely unprotected. When he stepped onto the hatch, it gave way, causing him to fall backwards through the void and suffer serious injuries to his head and lower back. He was taken to hospital.
The WorkSafe investigation revealed two critical safety breaches. Firstly, the Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) for the task required workers to wear harnesses before removing any section of the platform. Secondly, The apprentice had not received a SWMS induction, and none of the workers on site had signed the SWMS document.
The company admitted it was reasonably practicable to reduce the risk. Options such as performing work from the ground, using alternative methods to transport the units without dismantling the platform, or ensuring fall arrest systems (like harnesses) were in use, would have prevented the incident.
WorkSafe’s Chief Health and Safety Officer, Sam Jenkin, expressed deep disappointment: “The risks associated with falls from height are well-known, so there is no excuse for employers failing to protect their workers, especially young workers who are new to the industry... This young man did not receive a SWMS induction and was working centimetres from a live edge without a harness. It is unacceptable.”
To prevent similar tragedies, employers are strongly encouraged to follow the Hierarchy of Controls, prioritising:
- Elimination: Do the work on the ground or from solid construction wherever possible.
- Passive Fall Prevention: Use scaffolds, guardrails, safety mesh, perimeter screens, or elevated work platforms.
- Positioning Systems: Use travel-restraint systems so workers remain within a safe zone.
- Fall Arrest Systems: Employ harnesses, safety nets, or catch platforms to mitigate injury risk.
- Administrative Controls: Use ladders or written instructions but only as a last resort.
Compliance isn’t optional. It’s not enough to simply prepare a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS). It must be properly communicated, signed, and followed by everyone onsite. Young or inexperienced workers also need additional care, with full inductions and close supervision, particularly when working near live edges. Ultimately, active prevention saves lives. Following the hierarchy of controls is not just best practice, it can mean the difference between a safe workplace and a serious incident.
Source:
$85,000 Fine After First-Year Apprentice Falls Three Metres at Residential Site - WorkSafe Vic
