AGNEW Building Supplies Pty Ltd has been fined $300,000 for failure to comply with health and safety duties causing the risk of death or serious injury.

On April 16, 2021, an employee of the Queanbeyan East company delivered more than 800 kilograms of building materials to a worksite in the ACT. These building materials fell from the back of a truck and struck the worker, causing him severe injury to the head and torso.

The worker does not wish to be identified.

The Magistrates Court found that improper safety management controls, faulty equipment and insufficient training were all contributing factors. Further the crane was unserviceable, did not have any service records and should not have been used.

The company pleaded guilty to Category 2 charges in court, accepting responsibility for the incident.

ACT WHS Commissioner Jacqueline Agius said it was “completely unacceptable” for these kinds of injuries to occur on worksites.

“They are not accidents – they are failures of WHS practice,” she said.

“It is clear from the investigation undertaken by WorkSafe ACT that this terrible incident could have been completely avoided by ensuring all staff were adequately trained, and all risks were properly controlled.”