Eight companies face charges over Cyclone George deaths and injuries
Issue Date: - Friday, 25 July 2008
WorkSafe will prosecute eight companies in connection with two deaths and serious harm caused to seven persons during Cyclone George in March 2007.
The companies involved are:
- Spotless P & F Pty Ltd
- The Pilbara Infrastructure Pty Ltd
- BGC Contracting Pty Ltd
- Laing O’Rourke (BMC) Pty Ltd
- Spunbrood Pty Ltd trading as NT Link
- WorleyParsons Services Pty Ltd
- Spotless Services Australia Limited
- Fortescue Metals Group Limited.
The companies will face a total of 49 charges under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984.
The charges vary for each company, dependent upon their obligations under the Act, but in summary the charges relate to:
- Failure to provide and maintain a safe working environment;
- Failure to maintain premises which were employer-provided accommodation;
- Constructing temporary structures and failing to ensure that the structures were able to withstand potential cyclones; and
- Designing temporary structures and failing to ensure that the structures would be able to withstand potential cyclones.
WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne said today that the large number of charges brought against a number of entities demonstrated the breadth of occupational safety and health responsibilities.
"The finalisation of charges was an important step in an intensive process that had taken place over the past 16 months," Ms Lyhne said.
"The investigation into the tragic deaths during Cyclone George was a significant and complex one involving extensive WorkSafe resources.
"In the early stages WorkSafe worked closely with WA Police, and throughout the investigation, we have made information available to the public and other agencies with an interest in the outcome.
"This has included the issuing of two Safety Bulletins, reminders to local government authorities on WorkSafe’s reporting requirements for building and construction projects and ongoing consultation with agencies responsible for emergency preparedness and response.
"It is now a matter for the courts to determine."