Victorian builder Sherridon Homes pleads guilty to Covid breach at Weir Views site

A Victorian home builder that was slapped with an $11,000 Covid fine has had the slate wiped clean by a magistrate.

The building firm is a subsidiary of the AHB Corporate Group of companies and has over 40 years experience in the new homes industry. Picture: Sherridon Homes

A Victorian home builder that was found in breach of Covid rules escaped paying a fine but will need to be on its best behaviour going forward.

Building firm Sherridon Homes pleaded guilty in Sunshine Magistrates Court this week following a Covid breach at a construction site in Weir Views in 2021.

A prosecutor for the Department of Justice and Community Safety told the court on October 9, 2021 two authorised officers attended the job site which was owned and operated by Sherridon for a compliance check.

About 11.20am, the two department inspectors reported no one on site was wearing a mask and there was no signage at each part of the work premises outlining the safety requirements regarding vaccination and mask-wearing.

Occupational health and safety manager Frank Cichello — who appeared in court on behalf of the company — said employees were aware of their health requirements and while there were no signs, there were QR codes at entrance points for authorised personnel to access the latest health information.

Sherridon was initially issued an infringement notice of $10,900 by the Department of Justice and Community Safety before electing to have the matter heard in court last year.

In court, Mr Cichello said at the time of the offence, public health requirements and information was changing quickly and while the signs were not in place yet, the company was intending to install them as soon as possible.

He also said he was “proud” Sherridon Homes was able to keep 300 employees and a further 2000 subcontractors in a job and he felt the almost $11,000 fine was “excessive” given it was not an intentional disregard of health directions.

Magistrate Michael McNamara ultimately agreed with Mr Cichello’s submissions and quashed the infringement notice.

Mr McNamara instead placed Sherridon, a subsidiary of the AHB Corporate Group of companies, on a two-year good behaviour bond.