THE driver of a crane that toppled and killed a man on the University of Canberra hospital construction site has been sentenced to 12 months in prison. 

Michael Watts, the driver of the crane that killed 62-year-old Herman Holtz in Bruce on August 4, 2016, was sentenced in the 20 months imprisonment reduced to 12 months, with a 40 per cent discount for an early pleas and co-operation. His imprisonment sentence was wholly suspended.

Watts had pleaded guilty to a high-level breach of work health and safety legislation in mid-February.

He was a worker at the site, which was led by Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd and the subcontractor was RAR Cranes Pty Ltd. At the time of the incident a crane was being used to move an 11-tonne generator.

ACT work safety commissioner Greg Jones says this outcome is a strong reminder to the industry that workplace safety must be the number one priority and all efforts must be made to keep workers safe.

“Every supervisor, manager and director on any worksite must continually review and mitigate workplace risks. They also need to ensure their workers understand and follow all safety systems and procedures so they can do their job safely,” he says.

“The consequences and penalties for failing to meet safety obligations and responsibilities are far too high to be complacent.”

A total of nine parties, including seven people and two companies, were charged by WorkSafe ACT in April, 2018, with multiple offences following the long and complex investigation into the tragic death of a worker that occurred while a mobile crane at the site was moving a large generator.

Crane driver pleads guilty to worksite death