Companies ordered to pay $52,800 after an employee was injured at work…

The District Court has ordered two companies to pay a total of $52,800 after one of their employees was severely injured while at work.

The employee was working on a project on the second story of a work site. The scaffolding on the work site was initially put up correctly but was extended closer to powerlines during the project.

On the day of the incident the employee was electrocuted by one of the power lines and fell several metres to the ground. He suffered severe injuries to his back and ribs as well as significant burns to his wrist and foot.

The Court found that the companies did not take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the employees safety.

The companies failed to properly assess and deal with the risks associated with the worksite. There needed to be better supervision of the work site and better training so that the employees knew not to extend the scaffolding without authorisation. The proximity to power lines should also should have been recognised and the issue dealt with.

The first company was ordered to pay $22,000 as reparations, $5,000 for costs, and $1,550 in consequential losses. The second company was ordered to pay $18,000 as reparations, $5,000 in costs and $1,200 in consequential losses.

If there is confusion around the health and safety requirements of a company, it pays to seek advice from a professional with experience in the area.

Leading law firms committed to helping clients cost-effectively will have a range of fixed-price Initial Consultations to suit most people’s needs in quickly learning what their options are.  At Rainey Collins we have an experienced team who can answer your questions and put you on the right track.