Demolition company sentenced following employee's plunge through skylight at Melbourne worksite site

Demolition Company Sentenced Following Employee's Plunge Through Skylight at Melbourne Worksite

A demolition company has been sentenced and ordered to pay a total of $40,000 in fines after an employee fell through a skylight and sustained a spinal fracture at a Melbourne residential site.

An ex parte judgment was delivered by the Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court last week, finding the company guilty of not ensuring a safe workplace free from health risks and of failing to provide WorkSafe with essential information and documents without a reasonable excuse.

The company was instructed to pay $7,135 in expenses as well.

Why Fall Protection Remains a Critical Safety Issue in Construction

WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Sam Jenkin said dangers associated with working at height are well-documented, and it's concerning that incidents of this nature continue to take place.

"Despite there being clear regulations, extensive guidance, and far too many examples of preventable injuries and deaths, the company chose to bypass fall safety measures altogether," Mr Jenkin said.

This case highlights a recurring pattern seen across construction and demolition sectors, where gaps in documented method statements contribute directly to preventable harm. Employees working near fragile roofing materials, including skylights, face significant risk when a company fails to follow a proper safe work method statement (SWMS) before starting high-risk tasks.

The Role of SWMS in Preventing Falls from Height

A safe work method statement outlines how high-risk construction work should be carried out safely, including control measures for fall hazards. Under most jurisdictional health and safety regulations, a SWMS is mandatory before work commences on tasks involving heights, fragile surfaces, or demolition activities.

An effective SWMS should include:

• Identification of fall hazards, such as skylights or unprotected edges
• Specific control measures, including barricades, covers, or harness systems
• Clear instructions for supervisors and employees on safe work practices
• Emergency procedures should an incident occur

Without a properly implemented SWMS, workers face unnecessary risk, and businesses expose themselves to enforcement action from regulators such as WorkSafe.

Broader Implications for Construction and Demolition Businesses

This prosecution serves as a reminder to demolition and construction operators that regulators actively pursue non-compliance. Failing to provide requested documentation, including a SWMS, compounds liability beyond the initial safety breach itself.

Businesses operating in high-risk trades should regularly review their safety documentation to confirm every method statement reflects current site conditions and legislative requirements. A robust SWMS isn't simply paperwork — it's a practical tool that protects employees from serious harm.

For further context on similar incidents, read about a worker critically injured following a 3m plunge at a Sydney worksite, or learn how a Victorian building company was sentenced following a deadly fall.

Strengthening Safety Documentation Across High-Risk Trades

Demolition businesses can reduce risk exposure by maintaining a library of current, task-specific SWMS documents tailored to each site. SafetyDocs offers a Demolition Management Plan designed to support compliant, safe work practices across demolition projects, alongside a dedicated Demolition Policy covering hazard identification and control measures.

Broader Safety Management Plans can also help construction businesses embed consistent safety practices across multiple sites, ensuring every SWMS aligns with wider organisational health and safety obligations.

Other recent enforcement actions reinforce this pattern — see how a Shepparton company was sentenced following a blast that injured six employees, demonstrating regulators' continued focus on holding businesses accountable for workplace safety failures.

Read more here.