Category 1 Offence
02/3-17 at 08.34 by: Jason Somerville-Kimlin
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) are prosecuting two-family owned businesses on the Sunshine Coast, Lavin Constructions Pty Ltd and Multi-Run Roofing Pty Ltd, for contravening section 10(2) and/or section 20 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.
Moreover, the alleged Category 1 offence is Queensland’s first since implementation of the WHS Act 2011 and carries maximum fines of $3 million for each of the companies, and $600,000 and a maximum of 5-year jail terms for each of the company directors, Peter Raymond Lavin and Gary William Lavin.
As WHSQ stated, Whareheepa Te Amo, a 62-year-old roofer, only started the job four days earlier, and fell almost six metres to his death while working on the edge of a roof without protection.
Mr Te Amo was one of five roofers working on an industrial shed at Lake Macdonald in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland on 29 July 2014 when he fell. It is alleged that Mr Te Amo was several metres ahead of two scissor lifts being used for fall control and not wearing a personal fall protection harness.
This tragic incident was avoidable had the PCBU’s provided adequate safe systems of work and followed procedures. Whilst Whareheepa Te Amo’s family suffer, perhaps the upcoming trial scheduled in the Brisbane District Court on 19 April 2017, will bring closure to the family.
