Powerline incident put lives at risk
A house-demolition excavator collided with live overhead powerlines in an incident on Phillip Island, Victoria. The demolition company has now been charged $25,000 by the court for failing to follow safe procedures, which could have put lives at risk.
Bittern company Budget Demolition & Recyclers Pty Ltd pleaded guilty in the Korumburra Magistrates Court last week to one charge of failing to provide and maintain safe systems of work. It was also ordered to pay costs of $5221.
The court heard that on 12 February 2015, the company was using an excavator to demolish a house at Cowes. Because the worker operating the excavator was not licensed to use the machine, he was supervised by the owner of the business and spotted by other workers.
As the worker used the excavator bucket to pull down guttering at the front of the house, it struck overhead powerlines. The worker heard a loud bang and saw a blue flash so he shut down the machine and got out. He was not injured in the incident.
The court heard that the company failed to prepare a Safe Work Method Statement for demolition before work commenced, failed to ensure the work was performed in accordance with that statement and failed to obtain a permit for the work.
WorkSafe Victoria Executive Director Health and Safety Marnie Williams said inspectors were stunned by the company’s lack of basic safety knowledge, which put employees and the public at serious risk of injury.
“Demolition work is considered high risk and appropriate safe systems are required for a reason,” Williams said. “The fact that the employer told inspectors he didn’t have a SWMS and didn’t really know what that was is mind-boggling.”
Controlling risks
According to WorkSafe Victoria, demolition risks that must be controlled include:
- isolating services such as power, water and gas;
- ensuring asbestos has been identified and removed before demolition begins;
- making sure the site is secure;
- using protective structures and exclusion zones to protect the public and prevent falling objects landing outside the site;
- traffic management;
- working at height;
- structural stability at every stage of the process to prevent unplanned collapses.
Originally published here.
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