On 15 October 2020, the defendant company pleaded guilty in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court to an offence against section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (‘the Act’) for failing to comply with its duty to ensure the safety of its workers pursuant to section 19(1) of the Act. The company’s failure to provide adequate supervision exposed a worker to a risk of death or serious injury. Magistrate Clare Kelly convicted and fined the defendant $40,000. The conviction was not recorded.

On 9 October 2020, the defendant company pleaded guilty in the Wynnum Magistrates Court for failure to comply with its work health and safety duty under section 19(1) Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (‘the Act’), that exposed a worker to a risk of death or serious injury in contravention of section 32 of the Act. The company failed to provide a safe system of work, including the safe use of plant and provision of information, training or supervision. Magistrate Zachary Sarra fined the company $60,000. No conviction was recorded.

A construction and project management company, specialising in building and civil construction works was charged with one offence pursuant to s 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the ‘Act’) for breaching the duty it held under s 20(2) of the Act. On 13 October 2020, the defendant company pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Holland Park Magistrates Court.

On 12 October 2020, a director of a demolition and asbestos removal company was sentenced in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for removal of over 10m2 of non-friable asbestos without authorisation from the appropriate licence, in contravention of section 43(1) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (‘Act’) and section 487(1) Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (‘Regulation’). Magistrate Mark Nolan fined the defendant $2,000. No conviction was recorded. His Honour also ordered that the defendant pay professional costs in the sum of $1,500 and court costs of $99.70, to be paid within 3 months.

On 7 October 2020, the defendant company was sentenced in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court for multiple offences against the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (‘Regulation’). Magistrate Kay Ryan imposed a global fine of $8,000 order that no conviction was recorded.

A produce picking business was charged with an offence pursuant to s 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the ‘Act’) for breaching the duty held under s 19 of the Act. On 2 October 2020, the defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Townsville Magistrates Court.

Ardent Leisure Limited operated the Dreamworld Theme Park on the Gold Coast. On 25 October 2020, four guests on the Thunder River Rapids Ride at the park were fatally injured.

On 23 September 2020, the defendant was sentenced in the Noosa Magistrates Court for failure to comply with the health and safety duty he held as a worker, under section 28 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (‘Act’), to ensure that his actions did not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons, in contravention of section 33 of the Act. Magistrate Maxine Baldwin imposed a fine of $3,000 and no conviction was recorded.

In November 2018, the defendant pleaded guilty to an offence against section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (‘Act’) for failing to comply with its duty held under section 19(1) of the Act and was sentenced in the Cairns Magistrates Court. The offending related a to a fatality on a Kanimbla construction site in 2016. The defendant was convicted and fined $250,000 with no conviction recorded.

On 14 September 2020, an asbestos demolition worker pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Southport Magistrates Court for providing false and misleading information to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (‘WHSQ’) in contravention of section 268(1) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (‘the Act’). The defendant was fined $500 and no conviction was recorded.