A commercial laundry service in Dandenong South has been fined $270,000 after a driver died from a fall off a truck’s elevated tailgate.
Ensign Services (Aust) Pty Ltd, trading as Laundry Services Australia, pleaded guilty at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to failing to ensure a safe workplace.
Trucks were reversed into a dock at the laundry and their tailgates lowered to form a bridge for loading and unloading linen trolleys.
In June 2023, a driver fell 1.2 metres from the tailgate onto the laundry dock’s concrete floor..
The 55-year-old man was taken to hospital and died from his injuries.
WorkSafe investigators found the truck didn’t have fall protection handrails installed at the time.
Ensign admitted it was reasonably practicable to install swing gates at the dock, which could be used when trucks didn’t have safety handrails.
The court heard that Ensign engaged trucks and their drivers for laundry deliveries and collections.
On Wednesday 15 October, a magistrate convicted and fined Ensign, as well as ordering it to pay $8500 costs.
WorkSafe chief health and safety officer Sam Jenkin said it was crucial for workplaces to do everything in their power to prevent falls.
“Since 2021, 39 workers across nearly a dozen industries have tragically lost their lives in falls from height,” Mr Jenkin said.
“We have the tools and education to prevent every single one, but it’s up to employers to ensure all appropriate safety measures are in place.”
Rodrigues Transport Pty Ltd, the deceased driver’s employer, is also facing charges over the incident.
It will next appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 11 November.
