A business in Punchbowl has been fined $90,000 after two of its workers were seriously injured when a scaffold collapsed while they were painting a building.
MPMG FM Pty Ltd (MPMG) pleaded guilty to an offence under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 in the District Court of NSW. The company, which provides facilities maintenance by builders and painters, was contracted to undertake painting works at a school in Heathcote. This included painting high areas of the school buildings using a mobile scaffold provided by the company.
In April 2016 two painters subcontracted by the company pushed the mobile scaffold onto unlevelled ground to paint the side of a block of school buildings. One worker began painting from the top platform of the scaffold, about seven metres high. The other was working from the middle platform, which was about five metres high. While they were painting the block, the entire scaffold shifted then collapsed.
Better Regulation Division Deputy Secretary, Rose Webb, said MPMG failed to comply with its health and safety duty for the two painters at the site, where they used an improperly constructed mobile scaffold.
"In the lead up to the incident, the workers had not been given proper instruction on how to erect the scaffold before they began work nor had they been given all the required parts of the scaffold," Ms Webb said.
Following the incident, one painter sustained injuries to his back, shoulder, knee and thumb. He was unable to work for several months. The other painter sustained multiple fractures, a punctured lung and significant facial and dental injuries.
"This month, the court convicted and fined MPMG for exposing their workers to a risk of suffering serious injury from falling. Not only was there inadequate scaffolding but there was no alternative fall protection for the workers. This serves as a strong reminder to all businesses not to ignore their health and safety responsibilities towards their workers," Ms Webb said.
MPMG has the right to lodge an appeal.
Punchbowl business fined $90K after scaffolding collapses on two painters.pdf
