The Dandenong Magistrates’ Court convicted Baltic Stonemason Professionals Group Pty Ltd on Thursday, imposing penalties for three contraventions of the Occupation Health and Safety Act. Specifically, the court placed a total fine of $45,000 on Baltic Stonemason due to their negligent behaviour in maintaining workplace safety, as per the two charges. They fell short in provisioning critical information, training, and employee supervision, vital factors to ensure a safe working environment. Crucial elements such as Bluesafe SWMS (Safe Work Method Statements) or an effective Bluesafe WHS Management System could have helped alleviate these oversights.
In addition to this, a penalty of $6,000 was exacted for non-compliance to an improvement notice, coupled with associated legal costs coming up to $5,674. In an incident dating back to August 2023, an assistant at the company’s Dandenong branch ended up injured. The worker attempted to separate two stone slabs on a storage rack using his hand while setting up a grab clamp for davit crane lifting. Leaving the worker unsupervised led to a heavy slab falling on his chest and shoulders, causing grave injuries.
Investigations concluded that not only had the worker been left without supervision during the time of the accident, but he’d been given merely verbal instructions to operate. That very day marked his return to work after an 18-month hiatus and his transition into a new role. Missing restraints in front of the slabs, as well as the worker’s position within the fall shadow of the stone slabs were previously overlooked risks later identified by investigators.
The court accentuated that the necessary measures Baltic Stonemason should have taken included educating staff about potential work hazards, like relocating stone slabs or grasping the racks and retaining posts’ loading capacity. Employee training for suitable load capacity positioning prior to moving the slabs and establishing clear, written procedures for these tasks could have been achieved through robust policies or a detailed Bluesafe SWMS. Furthermore, supervising workers during critical activities like installing safety posts before sliding stone slabs into the racks was deemed mandatory.
Their non-compliance with an improvement notice also came to light, reflecting their failure in updating standard operating procedures and guaranteeing comprehensive staff training. WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety, Sam Jenkin, stressed on employers’ responsibility to assure that every employee is trained and supervised sufficiently for functioning safely, particularly when joining a fresh role or recommencing work.
Balancing information about potential occupational risks with adequate training crucially leads to a safe work environment. Activities entailing heavy physical objects like 300kg stone slabs must be undertaken strictly by trained personnel under supervision. Missteps in this regard can lead to severe injury or even loss of life and it’s incumbent upon employers to take proactive steps, such as integrating a Bluesafe WHS management system, to ensure the welfare of their workforce.
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Original article link: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/news/2025-02/stonemason-fined-51000-after-slab-falls-worker