Trainer Ben Yole’s company charged with workplace breaches

A company associated with prominent Tasmanian harness racing trainer Ben Yole has been charged over a crash which left three people injured and four horses dead. The details >>

Ben Yole.

A company associated with prominent Tasmanian harness racing trainer Ben Yole has been charged with breaching workplace health and safety laws over a crash which left three people injured and four horses dead.

Among the charges, Ben Yole Racing is also accused of not having a workers compensation insurance policy.

The court action comes after to a single vehicle incident on the Batman Highway near

Sidmouth in January 2023.

A group from Yole Harness Racing Stables was returning from a meet at Glenorchy’s Elwick Racecourse in the early hours of the morning.

A white Ford Ranger ute towing a horse float left the road and collided with a tree stump, police said at the time.

All four horses aboard died in the collision or its aftermath, while all five occupants of the vehicle, who were aged between 14 and 20, were transported via ambulance to the Launceston General Hospital.

Yole stables crash.

WorkSafe Tasmania Work Health and Safety Regulator Sam Thompson said Ben Yole Racing Pty Ltd is facing five separate charges of breaching health and safety laws under proceedings commenced by the Director of Public Prosecution.

They relate to alleged breaches of laws governing the duty of care to manage fatigue; to the horse float being towed and to allegedly failing to notify the Work Health and Safety Regulator of a notifiable incident.

The company is also charged with failing to hold a workers compensation policy

of insurance, contrary to the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, section

97.

The charges are listed before the Launceston Magistrates Court at March 11.

Originally published as Trainer Ben Yole’s company charged with workplace breaches