The 48 year old fitter and machinist was performing maintenance work on a crane when it fell over, pinning him between the crane and the arm of another crane.

The incident occurred at a Western Sydney site where the company supplied, maintained and serviced cranes used by the Royal Australian Navy. At the time of the incident, the worker was realigning a slip ring which had been incorrectly installed on the crane.

The company was charged under s19 (1)/32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 with failing to ensure the crane was on a secure base while work was being carried out on the crane, failing to ensure at least one locking pin was in place when work was being carried out on the crane, and failing to provide a job safety analysis or safe work method statement identifying the risks associated with the work.

On 4 September 2015, the company was convicted of the charge in the District Court and fined $225,000 plus ordered to pay SafeWork NSW’s costs. Executive Director of SafeWork NSW (formerly WorkCover NSW), Peter Dunphy said the risk of the crane fall-ing over and striking a worker was foreseeable and the company could have managed it with a few simple measures.