A Queensland construction company and its director are facing court after a worker injured his back falling through a garbage chute opening on a building site.
Simon Epraim Newitt and Steel Construct Australia are charged with exposing workers to the risk of death or serious injury by failing to ensure their health and safety on the site of a 77-unit block under construction in 2018.
Benjamin Said was working on the second floor of the block in the Brisbane suburb of West End on March 7 when he fell through boards covering the opening for the chute, dropping about three metres. He suffered serious injuries to his back.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland inspector Jared Bentzen told Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday boards covering the 615mm by 780mm hole had “no standing” and “peno” for penetration handwritten on them. The boards were not fixed to the floor, the court was told.
Mr Bentzen referred to Work Health Safety regulations stating protection covers must be able to support a person falling onto them and be secured to prevent removal. Steel Construct Australia was engaged by NSW firm Ultrafloor to install the flooring system on the site.
Mr Said was contracted by Steel Construct Australia through a labour hire company.
Ultrafloor Australia and RGD Constructions were previously fined $75,000 each for failing to comply with their health and safety duty over the incident.
Source Northern Daily Leader
