NSW Demolition Firm Fined $187,500 After Fatal Mobile Plant Incident
07 Oct 2026•BlueSafe Team•Source: SafeWork NSW
A New South Wales demolition recycling company has been fined $187,500 following a fatal mobile plant incident, underscoring the critical need for robust WHS management systems and safe work procedures when operating heavy machinery.
A.C.N. 646 774 656 Pty Ltd, trading at the time as Drumderg Services Australia Pty Ltd, has been convicted and fined $187,500 in the Industrial Court of NSW following a prosecution by SafeWork NSW.
The case relates to a fatal workplace incident on 31 May 2023, in which a labourer sustained fatal injuries while mobile plant was being used on site. An excavator, being operated to lift a conveyor, struck a 12‑metre light pole. The impact caused the pole to fall, striking the worker and resulting in fatal injuries.
The court found A.C.N. 646 774 656 Pty Ltd guilty of an offence under section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) for failing to comply with its primary duty of care to workers under section 19(1) of the Act. The matter highlights the legal requirement for PCBUs to identify and control risks associated with mobile plant and overhead structures.
The formal judgment in this case has been published on the NSW Caselaw website. A.C.N. 646 774 656 Pty Ltd retains the right to appeal the conviction and sentence.
SafeWork NSW has reiterated that the risks associated with moving plant and fixed machinery are well known and that serious incidents of this nature are preventable when appropriate control measures are in place. This includes thorough risk assessment, effective supervision, and documented safe systems of work, such as Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) for high‑risk construction activities involving excavators and other mobile plant. Resources and industry‑specific SWMS templates are available to support businesses in meeting these obligations, for example via providers such as BlueSafe Online.
SafeWork NSW has identified the prevention of injuries caused by mobile plant, vehicles and fixed machinery as a key regulatory priority. The regulator stresses that businesses must implement and maintain robust WHS management systems and clear policies and procedures to manage plant‑related risks, including planning lifting operations, maintaining exclusion zones, and ensuring workers are trained and competent.
Workers who have concerns about health and safety in their workplace can contact SafeWork NSW anonymously on 13 10 50 or through the Speak Up Save Lives online reporting tool. Business owners and workers are encouraged to access guidance material, industry codes of practice, and WHS policy and procedure templates, such as those available from specialist WHS providers, to strengthen their safety systems and reduce the likelihood of similar incidents.