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Labour hire safety fine reduced; Skilled loses trainee dispute

A labour hire company has successfully argued that COVID restricted its ability to monitor and enforce its WHS procedures at client sites, resulting in a lower fine for its breaches. Meanwhile, Skilled had no right to sack a trainee who was involved in a safety incident, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.

HLH NSW, trading as Hunter Labour Hire, had pleaded guilty to failing to comply with its duty to ensure a safe workplace under section 19 of the NSW WHS Act, and faced a maximum potential fine of $588k.

One of its on-hire labourers was injured in early 2021 when he fell from a roof being built by his host employer...