Ridem Pty Ltd, an electrical services company in Northern Territory, Australia, was convicted and fined $80,000. The company failed to comply with its health and safety duties of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.
In addition to the fine of $80,000, the company must also pay $40,000 to NT WorkSafe. This money is part of an enforceable undertaking to develop an electrical safety campaign. According to a media release, “This is the first time the Northern Territory courts have imposed an enforceable undertaking as part of a sentence.”
The company’s director was convicted and fined $40,000. He must complete hazard identification and management training. He must also complete due diligence training. The court ordered both trainings.
The worker in this case was a 34-year-old apprentice. He was electrocuted on February 25, 2019, while working unsupervised with another electrical apprentice. The work was being done on the roof of a fire station.
The family of the deceased has requested privacy and that the name of the victim not be disclosed.
The Need for a Safety Management System
Often, we read that if the employer had properly implemented its safety management system and/or had properly trained its employees, the incident would not have happened. According to the Northern Territory Health and Safety Regulator, this incident could have been avoided if the company had properly implemented its safety management system.
“It is also important all businesses and organizations have a safety management system in place that is suitable for their business activity and industry,” said Bill Esteves, Health and Safety Regulator for the Northern Territory. “NT WorkSafe Inspectors are encountering increasing instances of businesses with a safety management system that has not been implemented, or businesses that have purchased off-the-shelf systems which do not address risk and hazards faced by the business and its workers.”
Getting A Handle on Your Company's Electrical Hazards
e-Hazard has created a Safety Cycle™ to help companies address electrical hazards at their workplaces. Our cycle applies to all aspects of electrical safety. The process offers a complete picture to help companies understand how to grow and maintain their electrical safety program.
The e-Hazard Safety Cycle™ covers six areas: Electrical Safety Program, Risk Assessment, Training, Auditing, Electrical Maintenance, and Investigations.
If you think an Electrical Safety Program is what you need, e-Hazard can help your company create its own written ESP.
If your company has an ESP already, we can evaluate your records, documents and forms to make sure they comply with OSHA and MSHA regulations and applicable consensus standards.
An Electrical Safety Program is only one aspect of overall safety at work. Check out all our services to see if any of them can meet your needs in 2021.
Please contact us if you have questions. We are glad to help!
