$601,104 enforceable undertaking for local council over electrical incident
The following article is a news item provided for the benefit of the Workplace Health and Safety profession. Its content does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Institute of Health & Safety.
Date:
Wednesday, 29 June, 2022 - 12:45
Category:
Incidents & prosecutions
Location:
New South Wales
Wingecarribee Shire Council in NSW recently entered into an enforceable undertaking with a total expenditure of $601,104 following an incident in which two workers were injured as a result of an electrical incident.
On 28 October 2018, the workers sustained serious injuries when a 15-tonne crane being used to dismantle a centrifuge came into contact or was in close proximity to 11,000kV overhead powerlines.
Wingecarribee Shire Council contravened sections 19(1) and 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, and as part of the enforceable undertaking, the council will undertake a range of activities including:
- Developing and implementing an automated WHS induction program for council
- Developing and implementing a council contractor management program
- Implementing a WHS cultural improvement program at council; and
- Implementing a community safety awareness program as part of National Safe Work Month, which is repeated each October, for the life of the EU.
SafeWork NSW said the strategies proposed in the undertaking have been assessed as likely to deliver long-term sustainable safety improvements in the workplace, industry and community.