Ballooning company fined after worker fractures spine in roof fall
04 Apr 2024•BlueSafe Team•Source: WorkSafe VIC
Global Ballooning Australia Pty Ltd has been fined after a worker fell through a shed skylight while cleaning gutters, fracturing his spine. The company was also fined for taking two days to notify WorkSafe of the incident.
The company pleaded guilty to two charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and was sentenced in the Ringwood Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 27 March.
It received a $40,000 fine for failing to provide safe systems of work and a $4000 fine for failing to notify WorkSafe immediately after the incident. The court also ordered it to pay $9,770 in costs.
The worker was cleaning gutters on a shed roof in June 2021 when he fell about three metres through a fibreglass skylight onto the concrete floor. He was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured spine.
WorkSafe's investigation found the company had no system for assessing and controlling falls from height, and no fall prevention measures were in place. It was reasonably practicable to provide a safe system for working at height, including ensuring a fall arrest system such as a safety harness was used.
WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Narelle Beer said falls from height remained a leading cause of workplace death and injury across several industries.
"Last year alone, nine workers tragically lost their lives as a result of a fall from height in Victorian workplaces, while many more suffered serious and life-altering injuries," Dr Beer said.
"Each one of these incidents was absolutely preventable and WorkSafe will not hesitate to prosecute employers who ignore the risks of working from heights."
How Blue Safe can help: Our free SWMS tool can help you document the risks and controls for work at height. Create a free SWMS