Director fined $101,250 after worker falls from roof
02 Dec 2025•BlueSafe Team•Source: SafeWork NSW
Always Energy Pty Ltd director Matthew McCourt has been convicted and fined $101,250 following a SafeWork NSW prosecution over a roof fall that seriously injured a worker installing solar panels.
The District Court of NSW imposed the fine on Mr McCourt, the company’s sole director and company secretary.
The incident occurred on 1 June 2022 at a single-storey home under construction. An Always Energy employee was installing solar panels when they fell about three metres from the roof, suffering serious injuries.
Mr McCourt pleaded guilty to an offence under section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 for failing to meet his duty as a company officer under section 27(1).
The full judgment is available on the NSW Caselaw website. Mr McCourt has the right to appeal his sentence.
SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer said: “Falls from heights are a primary cause of traumatic injuries and fatalities at NSW workplaces.” She also reminded businesses of their duty to protect workers working at heights.
Workers can raise workplace health and safety concerns anonymously by calling SafeWork on 13 10 50 or using the Speak Up Save Lives website. Resources to help business owners and workers manage work-at-height risks are available on the SafeWork NSW website.
How Blue Safe can help: Our free SWMS tool can help you prepare a safe work method statement for high-risk construction work involving work at heights. Create a free SWMS