A Macquarie Park civil engineering company has been fined $80,000 after a worker suffered head, spinal and chest injuries when he fell more than three metres at a Mascot building site.
Freyssinet Australia Pty Ltd was found guilty in the Sydney District Court of failing to protect the health and safety of the 49-year-old Marayong man who fell through an unprotected gap to a concrete floor below.
Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Matt Kean said appropriate edge protection could have made all the difference.
“This poor worker lost his footing before he fell through the gap and sustained severe injuries in February 2015,” Mr Kean said.
“Extra safeguards could have prevented this terrible incident.
“The man was a sub-contractor at this site and Freyssinet had a duty to him, and all its employees, to provide a safe workplace.”
A SafeWork NSW investigation revealed the stairway had no intermediate rail or protective meshing between the top rail and the surface of the stairway, and the edge protection failed to meet Australian standards.
Mr Kean said the construction industry remained one of NSW’s highest-risk industries and companies must learn from these terrible incidents.
Last year, SafeWork NSW successfully prosecuted 34 offenders and issued 218 penalty notices.
Freyssinet has the right to lodge an appeal.
