Safety warning issued after VIC worker falls from roof

Safety Warning Issued After VIC Worker Falls From Roof

WorkSafe is advising employers to remember the importance of controlling hazards involved in working at height, following an incident where a worker sustained injuries while carrying out roof plumbing tasks at a Melbourne construction site.

According to WorkSafe, the worker fell about six metres to the ground after slipping from the roof at the construction site.

Falls Remain a Leading Cause of Construction Injuries

Falls are a primary contributor to fatalities and severe injuries at Victorian construction sites. They frequently happen due to insufficient or nonexistent fall prevention measures, including missing guardrails and inadequate falls management planning.

This incident follows a pattern seen across other industries, such as the recent safety alert issued after an NT worker fell from a forklift, and reinforces why height-related risk controls remain a critical OHS priority nationwide.

What Employers Must Do to Manage Fall Risk

“Where there is a risk of falling more than two metres, employers must eliminate that risk so far as is reasonably practicable. For example, by undertaking work on the ground or on a solid construction,” WorkSafe Victoria said.

Under OHS obligations, construction employers must assess height-related risk before work begins, rather than relying on reactive measures after a worker fell or was critically injured. Practical controls include:

• Eliminating the need for work at height where reasonably practicable
• Installing guardrails or other physical barriers to prevent falling from roofs or elevated platforms
• Providing safe access to roof areas via engineered systems rather than improvised methods
• Ensuring construction workers are trained in fall prevention and emergency response procedures

Why Construction Sites Face Elevated Height Risk

Roofing and plumbing tasks performed at height carry inherent risk that construction employers cannot ignore. Every construction project involving roof access should undergo a documented risk assessment before workers commence work.

Health and safety regulators across Australia continue to prioritise fall prevention on construction sites because consequences of a fall from height are frequently severe or fatal. Employers who fail to provide adequate access equipment or guardrails expose both workers and their business to significant OHS liability.

This incident echoes other recent warnings, including the safety warning issued after an SA mine worker sustained serious injuries and the safety warning issued after a worker was crushed by a hay bale on a Queensland property, both highlighting gaps in workplace risk controls.

Strengthening Fall Prevention on Construction Sites

Employers seeking to reduce height-related incidents should review their falls from heavy vehicles safe operating procedure alongside roof-specific fall prevention protocols, since many construction sites involve multiple elevated work risks beyond roofing alone.

Robust safety software can help construction businesses track compliance, document risk assessments, and maintain OHS records demonstrating reasonably practicable steps were taken to protect workers from height-related hazards.

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