Company convicted over fatal electrocution

The dangers of working with electrical plant were highlighted in the NSW Industrial Court recently when Royal Automobile Club of Australia was prosecuted following the fatal electrocution of its maintenance manager.

The prosecution related to an incident in October 2004 when the maintenance manager was working on an air-conditioning unit in the clubhouse maintenance workshop in Sydney.

The Court found that there was no adequate risk assessment, electrical testing and isolation, or training provided prior to the work that resulted in the fatality. A risk assessment should have identified the potential risk of electrocution from the air-conditioning unit, which could have allowed the worker to take appropriate safety precautions.

The employer was fined $110,000 plus costs for a serious breach of section 8(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000, for failing to provide a safe workplace. Justice Haylen said the incident could have been avoided with some simple steps but also noted that the company has now put in place systems and procedures to help prevent such a tragedy from happening again.

WorkCover NSW Chief Executive Officer Jon Blackwell said the incident was a tragic reminder of the importance of having suitable safety systems in place for electrical work.