$70K fine for solar installer

A Victorian electrical company has been convicted and fined $70,000 for failing to implement fall protection measures at a Dandenong building site.

The penalty relates to an incident in February 2025, when a WorkSafe Victoria inspector observed two workers installing solar panels on the roof of a two-storey residential property with no guard railing or other falls protection in place.

Accessing the roof via an unsecured ladder, the men were working at a height of 5.79 metres with no safe work method statement (SWMS) in place. Two improvement notices were issued after conversations with the company’s director revealed that he knew there was no fall protection in place.

The court was told that the company had previously failed to address fall-from-height risks and SWMS requirements at building sites at Cheltenham in January 2025 and Clyde North in November 2021.

A fine of $40,000 was imposed for failing to reduce the risk associated with falls, and a further $30,000 for failing to prepare a SWMS. The company was also ordered to pay $5266 in costs.

WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin said the company’s actions had put the two workers at serious risk of injury or death.

“Falls from height remain one of the biggest causes of death and serious injury in the Victorian construction industry, and failing to have appropriate fall protection measures in place is completely unacceptable,” Jenkin said.

“Employers must understand their responsibilities when working from heights and properly manage the risk of falls through a safe work method statement so that their workers return home safely.”

For more information about fall prevention, visit: www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/high-standards.

Image credit: iStock.com/dusanpetkovic. Image used for illustrative purposes only.