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Labour hire provider fined $495k over two incidents in three weeks

A labour hire company has been fined $495k for two incidents (including a fatality) that occurred just weeks apart, with the judge reminding providers they cannot simply "shrug [their] shoulders" over workplace safety.

In separate proceedings, Prime Metal Roofing, which provided personnel to other roofing companies, pleaded guilty to category-2 breaches of the NSW Work Health and Safety Act.

In both judgments, District Court Judge David Russell highlighted work health and safety provisions specifically stating that companies' duties cannot be delegated.

"A PCBU [person conducting a business or undertaking] cannot, in effect, shrug its shoulders and say 'someone else will look after safety'," he said...