NSW Gate Director Fined $50,000 After 200kg Gate Crush Incident
03 June 2026•BlueSafe Team•Source: SafeWork NSW
A New South Wales gate manufacturer and installer has been fined $50,000 after a 200kg sliding gate collapsed onto a mother and her three children, highlighting serious failures in WHS due diligence and safety controls.
A New South Wales gate manufacturer and installer has been convicted and fined $50,000 in the Industrial Court of NSW following a serious safety incident in Leichhardt involving a 200-kilogram sliding gate.
On 2 September 2022, the heavy gate overran its supports and fell onto a woman and her three young children as they walked along a road in Leichhardt, NSW. The incident underscored the critical importance of robust work health and safety (WHS) management systems, proper design, and safe installation practices for gates and other structural components.
The offender, Hanna Nsaire, was the sole director of Star Professional All Metal Work Pty Ltd, the business responsible for the manufacture, supply and installation of the gate. Mr Nsaire pleaded guilty to an offence under section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) for failing to comply with his duty under section 27(1) to exercise due diligence and ensure the company met its health and safety obligations.
In related proceedings, 465 Leichhardt Pty Ltd was fined $180,000 for an offence arising from the same incident, reflecting the broader responsibilities of duty holders involved in the premises and associated structures.
Separate proceedings commenced against Star Professional All Metal Work Pty Ltd were withdrawn after the company went into liquidation. The prosecution against the director personally highlights that officers can still be held to account for WHS failings even where the business ceases trading.
The full judgment in SafeWork NSW v Nsaire is available on the NSW Caselaw website. Mr Nsaire retains the right to appeal against the sentence imposed by the Court.
SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer emphasised that duty holders must ensure every structure they design, manufacture and install is safe and fit for purpose. She noted that this incident is a stark reminder that failing to meet safety obligations can have real and lasting consequences for businesses, workers, families and the wider community.
The case reinforces the need for businesses and officers to implement effective WHS management systems, documented policies and, where construction activities are involved, clear Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) to identify and control risks associated with heavy gates and similar plant or structures. Resources to support compliant WHS documentation, including management systems and SWMS, are available from providers such as Bluesafe and Bluesafe SWMS templates.
Workers and members of the public with concerns about health and safety can report issues anonymously to SafeWork NSW on 13 10 50 or via the Speak Up Save Lives online reporting platform.