Melbourne aged care home faces charges over COVID-19 outbreak

WorkSafe Victoria has filed charges against a Melbourne aged care home for workplace safety breaches following a COVID-19 outbreak at a residential aged care facility at Epping in 2020.

The safety regulator accuses the aged care home of failing to provide training as required to enable workers to perform their work safely and without risks to health, contrary to sections 21(1) and 21(2)(e) of the OHS Act.

The aged care home also faces charges for failing to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, that its workplace was safe and without risk to health.

Eighty-nine residents and 65 staff tested positive for COVID-19 during the outbreak, leading to 34 deaths.

The aged care home is expected in court on 8 August to answer to the charges.

Read the full story on the WorkSafe Victoria website.