An electrical company has been convicted and fined $40,000 after ordering an apprentice to work on a roof without fall protection.HW Electrical Pty Ltd was sentenced in the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 6 August after pleading guilty to a single charge of failing to provide a workplace that was safe and without risks to heath.
The company was also ordered to pay costs of $2,268.
The court heard HW Electrical was engaged to install solar panels on the roof of a single-storey dwelling at Noble Park.
In October 2024, a WorkSafe inspector attended the workplace and observed a first-year apprentice working on the roof without fall protection, close to 2.7 metres from the ground.
The company’s sole director was at the workplace and informed the inspector he had directed the apprentice to work on the roof, knowing there was no fall protection in place.
During the inspection, the director prepared a safe work method statement (SWMS) and installed a guardrail.
WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin said the outcome sent a clear message for employers who ignored their health and safety obligations.
“Some employers seem to think they can get away with taking dangerous shortcuts if no one gets hurt, but this sends a clear message that WorkSafe won’t wait for a worker to fall before taking strong enforcement action,” Mr Jenkin said.
“Everybody knows working at heights means an appropriate passive fall prevention device, such as a guard rail or harnesses, have to be put in place and there’s no excuse for ignoring the laws in place to protect workers.”
To prevent falls from height employers should implement the highest possible measures from the five levels in the hierarchy of controls:
- Level 2 Use a passive fall prevention device such as scaffolds, perimeter screens, guardrails, safety mesh or elevating work platforms.
- Level 1 Eliminate the risk by, where practicable, doing all or some of the work on the ground or from a solid construction.
- Level 3 Use a positioning system, such as a travel-restraint system, to ensure employees work within a safe area.
- Level 4 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.
- Level 5 Use a fixed or portable ladder, or implement administrative controls.
Eligible employers can also get practical advice and resources to help prevent falls in their workplace through WorkSafe’s free online falls basics workshops.
Source: WorkSafe Vic
