Workplace safety violations lead to major fines in separate fatal incidents

Two separate legal actions have resulted in significant fines following workplace fatalities in 2023.

In Melbourne, a plumbing company and a hire equipment provider were fined a combined $630,000 after a 25-year-old worker was crushed against a steel frame while operating a boom lift. An investigation by WorkSafe Victoria found that no spotter was used and an operator protection alarm on the lift had been disconnected. The equipment owner was fined $400,000 for failing to maintain a safe workplace, while the service technician's company was fined $230,000 for failing to ensure safety for non-employees.

In Edmonton, Arbutus Landscaping Inc. was fined $318,000 after pleading guilty to an Occupational Health and Safety Act violation regarding the death of a worker who fell through a roof in December 2023. Albatross Roofing Ltd. has also been charged in relation to the same incident, with sentencing scheduled for September 10.