NSW firm fined $140k after serious mobile elevating work platform incident
24 Sept 2026•BlueSafe Team•Source: SafeWork NSW
Matilda Walking Floors Pty Ltd has been convicted and fined $140,000 in the Industrial Court of NSW after a worker was seriously injured when a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) tipped from the back of a truck trailer. The case highlights the critical importance of robust WHS management systems, safe systems of work and clear policies when using plant and equipment.
Matilda Walking Floors Pty Ltd has been convicted and ordered to pay a $140,000 fine in the Industrial Court of NSW following a prosecution brought by SafeWork NSW.
The matter arose from an incident on 3 August 2023 in which a worker sustained serious injuries while operating a mobile elevating work platform positioned on the rear of a truck trailer. The MEWP tipped, ejecting the worker and causing significant harm.
The company pleaded guilty to an offence under section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 for failing to comply with its primary duty of care to workers under section 19(1) of the Act. The court found that reasonably practicable steps to manage the risks associated with mobile plant had not been adequately implemented.
The judgment against Matilda Walking Floors has been published on the NSW Caselaw website. The company retains the right to appeal the sentence.
SafeWork NSW has reiterated that risk control measures for working with moving plant, vehicles and fixed machinery are long established and widely understood. Many such incidents are preventable where a comprehensive WHS management system, task-specific Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) and clear policies and procedures are in place and followed.
SafeWork NSW notes that preventing injuries involving mobile plant, vehicles and fixed machinery remains a key focus area in its regulatory priorities. The regulator continues to emphasise the importance of identifying hazards, conducting thorough risk assessments and implementing safe systems of work to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents.
Businesses are encouraged to ensure their WHS frameworks, including plant and equipment procedures and SWMS for high-risk construction work, are current, communicated and effectively supervised. Resources to support the development of WHS management systems and documented procedures are available from commercial providers such as BlueSafe Online.
Workers with concerns about workplace health and safety can contact SafeWork NSW anonymously on 13 10 50 or via the Speak Up Save Lives online reporting service. Employers and workers can also access guidance materials on managing risks associated with plant, machinery and equipment through SafeWork NSW and other reputable WHS resources.