Transport company sentenced over truckie death at Yarraville depot

Transport Company Sentenced Over Truckie Death at Yarraville Depot

A transport company has been fined $320,000 for workplace health and safety offences after a truck driver was killed by a B-double nearly three years ago at its Yarraville depot.

The truck driver was standing on a pile of wood debris when he was run over by a reversing prime mover. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

What WorkSafe's Investigation Found

An investigation by WorkSafe revealed the company failed to implement a traffic management system to protect pedestrians and other people at the workplace. This gap in transport and automotive safety management proved fatal for one worker and exposed serious shortfalls in site-wide risk management.

Why Traffic Management Systems Matter

Effective traffic management separates pedestrians from moving vehicles, particularly heavy freight like B-doubles operating in tight depot spaces. Without clear management protocols, workers standing near debris or materials remain vulnerable to reversing vehicles that drivers cannot always see.

Businesses managing depots, warehouses, or freight yards should consider:

• Dedicated pedestrian walkways separated from vehicle movement zones
• Spotters or reversing assistants for high-risk manoeuvres
• Clear signage and physical barriers around loading and unloading areas
• Regular safety audits of traffic management plans

A well-documented road freight transport checklist can help identify these hazards before they result in injury or death.

WorkSafe Victoria's Response

WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Narelle Beer said 15 people have been killed in vehicle incidents this year.

"This awful death could have easily been avoided if the right controls were in place," she said.

Victoria continues to record vehicle-related deaths across construction, manufacturing, and transport sectors, underscoring the need for consistent health and safety management systems in every workplace where vehicles and pedestrians interact.

Building Stronger Vehicle Safety Management

Organisations operating fleets or depots ought to review existing policies regularly. A robust company vehicle policy paired with a documented vehicle accident SWMS gives businesses a clearer framework for preventing incidents like this one.

Similar cases highlight how gaps in management systems repeatedly contribute to preventable deaths. Read about a Victoria road safety company facing multiple charges over a truckie death, or how a Geelong company was sentenced over a forklift incident stemming from comparable safety failures. Another case saw a Vic company fined over a timber mill death, further reinforcing why proactive management remains essential across transport and industrial services companies.

Strengthening Safety Across Transport & Warehousing

Companies within transport and warehousing sectors face unique risks tied to vehicle movement, loading zones, and pedestrian interaction. Reviewing transport and warehousing safety templates gives businesses practical tools for building compliant management systems suited to their operations.

This case serves as a reminder that health and safety obligations extend beyond paperwork. Genuine management commitment, backed by practical controls, remains the clearest path toward preventing further loss of life on Victoria's roads and depots.

Read more on the WorkSafe Victoria website.