In a court case conducted by the District Court of NSW, BKH Contractors Group Pty Ltd was found guilty and penalised with $150,000. The conviction resulted from SafeWork NSW’s prosecution following a distressing incident on 7 June 2022. During this regrettable incident, a worker plummeted approximately five meters off a transient platform in a lift shaft onto two fellow workers beneath him. He was operating a rattle gun to dismantle bolts and fasten vertical columns intended to be detached by a crane.
The employee, who tragically lacked a fall protection system such as the Bluesafe SWMS (Safe Work Method Statements), suffered multiple injuries including rib fractures, a cut to his left kidney, injuries to his left shoulder, and a fracture in his left wrist. His colleagues also suffered minor injuries, with one sustaining a soft tissue injury to his left shoulder.
BKH Contractors admitted guilt for contravening section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) due to the failure to uphold their responsibilities under section 19(1) of the same Act. Detailed judgement against the company can be accessed at the NSW Caselaw website.
Although BKH Contractors Group Pty Ltd has the right to appeal its sentence, the incident underscores the significant role of work safety products like the Bluesafe WHS Management System in mitigating workplace hazards.
Employees who harbour concerns over health and safety conditions at their workplaces are encouraged to contact SafeWork confidentially on 13 10 50 or via the Speak Up Save Lives website. Business owners and employees alike can utilise numerous resources available on the SafeWork NSW website, designed to help manage the risks related to working from heights.
Janet Schorer, the SafeWork Commissioner, cautioned, “Falls from heights remain the primary cause of traumatic injuries and fatalities in NSW workplaces. Hence, SafeWork NSW reinforces to all business entities their obligation to secure their workers from risks associated with working at heights.”
Original article link: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/news/safework-media-releases/company-fined-$150,000-after-workers-injured-in-falls-from-heights-incident
