WorkSafe

WorkSafe has laid charges against two companies after a worker died after falling around 20 metres from a roof under construction at Curtin University in 2020.

Steel fabrication company Elsdon Pty Ltd has been charged, being an employer, with failing to ensure the safety and health of persons not being their employees and, by that failure, causing the death of Jonathan Hartshorn and serious harm to another worker (maximum penalty $2 million).

A company that owns a vegetable farm and packing facility in Mandogalup has been fined $15,000 over an incident in which a worker’s arm was injured when it was trapped in a conveyor belt.

Ellement Bros Pty Ltd (trading as Ellement Produce) pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that dangerous parts of a machine were securely guarded and was fined in the Perth Magistrates Court on Monday.

In May 2019, the injured worker was assisting another worker in the processing area where leeks were fed in and straightened before traveling on the conveyor to be further processed.

A cardboard box company in O’Connor has been fined $275,000 (and ordered to pay $8500 in costs) over an incident in which a worker had parts of two fingers severed.

Visy Board Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and was fined in the Fremantle Magistrates Court yesterday.

Visy Board operates a cardboard box factory in O’Connor that produces cardboard packaging products such as cartons, pizza boxes, removal boxes and shoe boxes.

A transport company has been prosecuted by WorkSafe over an incident that left a worker with serious and permanent leg injuries.

Toll Transport Pty Ltd has been charged with failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace and, by that failure, causing serious harm to an employee.

The company was also charged with failing to ensure that the movement and speed of vehicles and plant at the workplace were managed in a way that minimised risk to pedestrians.

WorkSafe has called on employers and workers to consider all the precautions they should take when work is being undertaken in remote areas.

Workers who regularly travel to remote areas of the State include tour operators and workers involved in supervising various recreational activities, mining workers such as prospectors and geologists, truck drivers and some farmers.

Acting WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North said it was important to keep in mind that both employers and workers had responsibilities for health and safety when working in remote areas.

WorkSafe is extending the transition period to complete the mining statutory position certification from 30 March 2025 to 30 March 2026.

Under the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations, statutory positions carry out specific functions at mining operations. They are classified into several categories, with different functions and obligations, levels of knowledge, experience, and formal qualifications. Some positions require statutory certificates.

WorkSafe has commenced a proactive inspection program to look at site security issues on WA construction sites.

The inspection program will look at a number of randomly-selected sites across metropolitan and regional areas of the State throughout the 2024/25 financial year.

There have been incidents in which construction sites have been accessed by unauthorised persons, exposing them to serious hazards.\

Two fatal incidents in WA workplaces this week have prompted a reminder from WorkSafe to review safety procedures associated with mobile plant.

WorkSafe is investigating both incidents to identify whether any breaches of work health and safety laws have occurred and to determine the causes of the incidents.

Acting WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North today advised relevant persons in control of a business or undertaking (PCBUs, ie employers) to review their safety procedures.

A sole trader has been fined $10,000 (and ordered to pay $4000 in costs) for removing asbestos fencing when he did not have an asbestos removal licence.

Justin John Collins pleaded guilty to having carried out work when he was not authorised to carry out that class of work and was fined in the Perth Magistrates Court last Friday.

In April 2022, Mr Collins removed and disposed of 41 metres of asbestos fencing from between two houses in Beckenham after telling the property owners that he was licensed to do so.

A construction company has been fined a total of $90,000 after a worker suffered serious injuries when he fell through a polycarbonate sheet on a patio roof.

Apollo Construction & Renovation Pty Ltd was charged with failing to ensure the regulator was notified of the incident, failing to ensure the site where the incident occurred was not disturbed and failing to ensure that a safe work method statement was prepared for the work.

Apollo was fined $60,000 on the first two charges and $30,000 on the third in the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday.