Rettingdon Pty Ltd

Incident description:

A worker was seriously injured while replacing roofing skylights when he stepped onto a fibro sheet and fell five metres to the concrete floor below.

The defendant failed to implement a suitable fall arrest system to prevent workers falling from height. The defendant had inspected the site prior to the commencement of work and failed to identify if anchor points for securing the fall arrest harness were positioned at a distance that did not prevent a fall being arrested. Workers replacing the skylights were not wearing any fall arrest protective equipment.

Court result:

The defendant pleaded guilty and was fined $33 000. No conviction was recorded.

Considerations for prevention:

When working in the building and construction industry where there is exposure to risks from falls, obligation holders should apply a risk management approach to ensure the selection of suitable control measures.

Risk management involves evaluating the consequences and likelihood of harm that may result from the hazard, deciding on and implementing control measures to prevent or minimise the level of the risk from the hazard and monitoring the effectiveness of the control measures to ensure they remain working correctly.

When deciding upon and implementing appropriate control measures associated with the risk from falls, obligation holders should ensure that such tasks are undertaken by suitably qualified and experienced workers.

When workers are exposed to working at height obligation holders must consider the effectiveness of the type of controls used to prevent a fall.

Where harnesses are adopted as a fall control measure, consideration must be given to devising an effective recovery plan and ensuring that the anchor points attached to the fall arrest harness are at a suitable distance to effectively prevent a worker from hitting the ground during a fall.

Obligation holders should also consider the use of edge protection or a guard railing that can withstand the force of a person falling against it. Erecting scaffolding or using an elevating work platform may provide an alternate solution when working at heights.

Visit the Workplace Health and Safety Queensland website for more information on:

• building and construction guide
• what needs to be included in a work method statement
• working at heights
• managing risk
• implementing controls or evaluating or monitoring them
• training staff
• Risk Management Code of Practice 2007
• Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008
• Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995
• what penalties apply under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995