On 11 September 2020, the defendant, a large concrete company pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for breaching s 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the ‘Act’). The company failed to comply with its work health and safety duty under s 19(1) of the Act.

On 4 September 2020, a rental property owner pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Holland Park Magistrates Court for conducting electrical work without a licence in contravention of s. 55(1) of the Electrical Safety Act 2002.

On 25 August 2020, the defendant company was sentenced in the Richlands Magistrates Court for breaching s 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (‘the Act’), having failed to meet their work health and safety duty under section 19(1) of the Act, to ensure the health and safety of their workers, so far as is reasonably practicable, and exposing a worker to a risk of death or serious injury. The defendant was fined $25,000. A conviction was recorded.

On 24 August 2020, a sheet metal fabrication business and its director pleaded guilty and were sentenced in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court for Category 2 offences under s 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the ‘Act’). The defendants breached the safety duties they held under ss 19(1) and 27(1) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the ‘Act’) respectively. The incident resulted in injuries to a 15-year-old child.

On 20 August 2020, a quarry supervisor pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Mackay Industrial Magistrates Court for breaching s 31 of the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act (‘the Act’), having failed to discharge his obligation under s. 36(2)(b) of the Act to ensure that the risk of injury to any person who was managed in the work and activities under his control, supervision or leadership, so that the risk was at an acceptable level. The defendant was convicted and fined $3,000. A conviction was not recorded.

On 5 August 2020, in the Townsville Magistrates Court, the defendant company was convicted of an offence contrary to ss 40C and 33 of the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (the ‘Act’) for failure to ensure that the equipment it imported was electrically safe, which exposed individuals to a risk of death or serious injury. The sole director of the company was convicted of an offence contrary to s 40C of the Act for failure to ensure that the defendant company complied with its electrical safety obligation under s 38A of the Act. Both defendants had previously entered guilty pleas.

A Queensland building company was sentenced in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 28 July 2020 for breaching s.32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, having failed to comply with its work health and safety duty which exposed a work to a risk of serious injury or death.

On 28 July 2020, a worker employed by a specialty wholesale bakery pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Richlands Magistrates Court for breaching s 32 of the Act, having failed to meet his work health and safety duty. He held a duty under s 28 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the ‘Act’) to ensure his conduct did not put the safety of others workers at risk.

A company pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 24 July 2020, for breaching s 43(1) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the ‘Act’).  The company removed in excess of 10m2 of Asbestos Containing Material (‘ACM’) without holding an asbestos removal licence, contrary to s 487(1) of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (the ‘Regulation’).  The defendant company also pleaded guilty and was sentenced for breaching s 446(3) of the Regulation, having allowed a broom to be used on asbestos containing material in a manner that was not controlled.  

On 20 July 2020, the defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court for one offence contrary to s32 of the Act, having failed to meet its primary safety duty under s19(1) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011(the Act).