In brief - Court of Appeal dramatically increases penalty for
safety breaches
Two companies convicted of safety breaches have had their fines
increased by the Victorian Court of Appeal, from a combined total
of $450,000 to a combined total of $1,500,000 following the death
of a worker on a building site in Melbourne.
Collapse of section of pile driving rig leads to workplace
fatality
A recent decision of the Court of Appeal in Victoria reinforces
the need for employers to be vigilant and thorough in their
approach to workplace health and safety. In the case DPP v Vibro-Pile (Aust) Pty Ltd & Frankipile
Australia Pty Ltd, two companies received an increase in
the fines initially imposed from a conviction and sentence in the
County Court for a fatal incident in May 2011, when a worker fell
approximately 40 metres to his death. The incident involved the
collapse of the top section of a pile driving rig at a building
site in Southbank in Melbourne.
