The builder was fined $20,000 for each of three charges of failing to reduce the risk associated with a fall from height and a further $20,000 for performing high-risk construction work without a safe work method statement (SWMS).
In June 2021, WorkSafe inspectors visited the building site following reports that workers were on the second and third-storey roofs without fall protection.
A worker was observed near the unguarded edge of the third-storey roof, about 10.5 metres high, and accessing the roof via a scissor lift that required them to climb over the lift’s guardrails.
Inspectors saw workers accessing the third-storey addition via an internal extension ladder through an opening. There was no guardrail behind the opening and only a single top rail next to the opening despite a potential three-metre fall.
Workers were also found to be accessing the second-storey north face of the building by climbing over a short terrace wall, with no edge protection provided to the second-storey roof.
The builder could not provide evidence that a SWMS had been prepared for the high-risk construction work.
It was also reasonably practicable for the builder to use a passive fall protection device, such as guardrails, on the second and third-storey roofs and the void edges.
What employers should do
To prevent falls from height, employers should:
- eliminate the risk by, where practicable, doing all or some of the work on the ground or from a solid construction
- use a passive fall prevention device such as scaffolds, perimeter screens, guardrails, safety mesh or elevating work platforms
- use a positioning system, such as a travel-restraint system, to ensure employees work within a safe area
- use a fall arrest system, such as a harness, catch platform or safety nets, to limit the risk of injuries in the event of a fall
Contact John Morrissey on 0407 069 507 for help with your construction industry employment policies that are tailored to suit your business requirements.
