WORKSAFE Victoria says the State Emergency Service (SES) has been ordered to carry out a state-wide safety review and improve its operations as part of a penalty ordered by a Mildura Magistrate.
The authority says the SES was also convicted and fined $75,000 after WorkSafe charged it with safety failings which led to the drowning death of a volunteer in 2007.
The deceased man was among four SES volunteers who were taking part in a swim test in the Murray River as part of the training for work with flood rescue boats.
The “swim test” requires participants to swim 100m wearing a long-sleeved shirt and trousers and not wearing a life-jacket as well as treading water for two minutes.
WorkSafe says it was alleged Mr Hopkins had, on an SES form, likened his swimming ability to that of a boat anchor, but full-time SES personnel running the exercise made no inquiries about his self-assessed swimming skills.
The SES safety review requires the organisation to review all training procedures and to report to WorkSafe on the outcomes of the review.
It must also advise WorkSafe of future train-the-trainer activities so the health and safety regulator can attend, report on OHS outcomes in its annual report and ensure appropriate safety equipment is in SES boats.
WorkSafe says the SES has allocated $150,000 to carry out their safety improvement program.
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