Employers reminded of serious legal consequences if they fail in health and safety duties
Total fines for safety breaches in Victoria hit a total of $16,182,957 in 2023, WorkSafe revealed on Thursday.
In a statement, Victoria's workplace safety regulator said this amount stems from 152 successful health and safety prosecutions, which included breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Dangerous Goods Act.
Among these prosecutions, 17 were related to a workplace fatality, where employers involved were fined a total of $6.3 million.
Narelle Beer, WorkSafe Executive Director Health and Safety, added that there were also "multiple duty holders" prosecuted for offences involving workplace bullying and sexual harassment.
According to Beer, some of these cases involved young and vulnerable workers.
"Employers must have systems and processes in place to identify, assess and respond to hazards and associated risks to both the physical and mental health of their workers," Beer said in a media release. "This includes ensuring there is adequate training and supervision and that workers are encouraged to speak up or ask questions when they have concerns for their safety."
Biggest cases
Meanwhile, three of the 152 prosecutions resulted to separate seven-figure penalties, while another 25 attracted fines of at least $100,000.
According to WorkSafe, offences involving the risk of a fall from height was the top subject of prosecutions in 2023 with 39 cases and fines of almost $2 million. Other subjects of prosecutions include:
- Unsafe machinery, including inadequate guarding (25 prosecutions)
- Risk of being crushed by or between objects (15)
- Powered mobile plants, such as forklifts (13)
By industry, WorkSafe said construction employers has the highest number of health and safety precautions against them with 52. Others recorded:
- Manufacturing (38 prosecutions)
- Transport, postal, and warehousing (11)
- Wholesome trade (10)
In addition, WorkSafe said it also accepted seven enforceable undertakings from various employers, who committed a total of $1.2 million to improve their workplace health and safety knowledge and outcomes in their industries.
Reminder of legal consequences
WorkSafe reminded employers that they risk facing serious legal repercussions if they put their employees at risk.
"The safest places to work are those where employers accept that injuries and fatalities are preventable and priority is placed on doing what they can to protect their people," Beer said. "WorkSafe will use every enforcement tool at its disposal to hold to account employers who put the health and safety of their workers or others at risk."
