Canberra building firm JB Slab Pty Ltd has been convicted and fined $225,000 fter pleading guilty to work safety charges after a worker, on his first day, was trapped when a structure, which had not been properly constructed or braced, collapsed in May 2022.

In December, sole director Jasvir Singh, pleaded guilty to the charges.

The ACT Industrial Court was told the defendant had braced the “Rediwall” in an ad-hoc manner and contrary to manufacturer recommendations.

Following the concrete pour, the “Rediwall” formwork fell, and in the process the worker became trapped between the collapsed wall and adjacent embankment.

The worker was only freed after a bobcat was used to shift surrounding soil and a concrete cutter was used to cut into the collapsed wall.

After the conviction, ACT Work Health and Safety Commissioner Jacqui Agius said the failings of JB Slab Pty Ltd were unacceptable and that it was only through sheer luck and the swift actions of bystanders that a potentially tragic outcome was avoided.

“First and foremost, my thoughts go out to the injured worker who was a vulnerable worker,” she said.

“They had only been in our country for two weeks and they spoke limited English. This was their first day on the job. They had no training, no white card, no asbestos training and no site induction.

“There was an easy fix which would have avoided this incident entirely. The [company] used wooden props which were spliced together. The manufacturing requirements were steel adjustable props which cost roughly between $90 and $140 and are reusable. The wall was approximately five metres wide and 2.7 high and weighed about five tonnes. There is no excuse for these types of safety breaches.

“This is a sobering reminder that when you cut corners with work health and safety, the consequences can become life-threatening in moments. Next time, we may not be able to rely on luck or quick-thinking bystanders.”