A worker has been convicted and placed on a six-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to a workplace safety offence linked to the death of a colleague in October 2021.

A 53-year-old worker has admitted to failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others while operating a forklift at a warehouse in Lara, near Geelong. 

The Geelong County Court heard that the forklift was being used to transport a steel rack weighing more than a tonne. The load became unstable on an uneven surface, tipping and fatally crushing the spotter standing nearby.

Investigators from WorkSafe found that the man had completed a forklift safety induction less than a year prior, which emphasised that pedestrians should stay three metres away from operating forklifts. He also held a forklift licence requiring knowledge of safety precautions around pedestrians.

The court was told the worker failed to ensure the load was secure and neglected to maintain a safe distance between himself and the spotter.

Sam Jenkin, WorkSafe’s Executive Director of Health and Safety, called the incident a tragic reminder of the shared responsibility in workplace safety. 

“Employers must provide safe environments, but workers must ensure their actions do not place others at risk,” he said. 

“This worker had the training and experience to know better and now has to live with the consequences.”

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