STOWE Australia has been fined $190,000 after being found guilty for the electrocution death of a worker at a Marrickville telephone exchange.
The investigation by WorkCover NSW found the company had well-established and documented safety systems in place. However, supervisors did not ensure the necessary safe work method statements were available on site.
The absence of these documents led to the work team adopting their own practices to carry out the work at the exchange.
Documented details of the exchange’s electrical circuitry had also been inaccurate. For example, one switch was powered from two distribution board sources at different levels in the building, result in a risk to workers rewiring emergency exit lighting.
Proper procedure would have seen the circuitry identified before work commenced, but the court found the breakdown in safety procedures ultimately resulted in a fatality.
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