ARTICLE · 03 OCTOBER 2016

Employers – don't misstep safety

Colin Biggers & Paisley

Explore more from Colin Biggers & Paisley

A primary school teacher's slip on a step ladder in the classroom led to High Court proceedings against the employer.

AustraliaEmployment and HR

Isabella Ledden

In brief - Teacher's slip on step ladder leads to High Court proceedings

A primary school teacher's action against her employer for a knee injury she sustained while slipping from a step ladder in the classroom, highlights that employers may need to provide detailed instructions to employees before they perform work tasks to prevent employers' breaches of their statutory duties under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Manual Handling Regulations.

Employers may be required to give employees highly detailed instructions

In September 2007, a primary school teacher slipped and injured her knee at work, while using a two-step ladder in order to reach and remove paper-mâché displays mounted on a classroom wall pin-board. Following the High Court of Australia's recent decision to remit the matter to the Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal in August 2016, the teacher's action against her employer for her injury still remains to be resolved.

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