Company charged after worker fatally impaled

The 55-year-old man died when the fork attachment of a telehandler impaled him during the construction of a metal framed roller door at the workplace.

Boyd Industries Pty Ltd is facing three charges under section 23(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to ensure that people other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks.

WorkSafe alleges the company failed to reduce, so far as was reasonably practicable, the risk of serious injury or death from the telehandler, its load, or any attachment coming into contact with a person.

It is also alleged Boyd Industries breached regulation 327(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations by failing to prepare and use a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) for high risk construction work.

The matter is listed for a filing hearing at the Warrnambool Magistrates' Court on 20 December 2024.