Construction companies hit with more than $1m in penalties over potential ‘deadly missiles’

Construction companies have been hit with more than $1 million in penalties in the past two years after objects including heavy metal brackets plummeted from Melbourne buildings.

Construction companies have been hit with more than $1 million in penalties in the past two years after objects plummeted from buildings and became potentially-deadly missiles.

Hundreds of workers and pedestrians have been hit and injured from debris or falling tools in the past two years, including heavy metal brackets that would have killed anyone standing below.

A new safety campaign has been launched as part of the latest fine, issued by WorkSafe to building giant Multiplex after a sprinkler head dropping from one of its 26-storey work site and hit the ground at more than 150km/h.

Multiplex paid for an animated educational video showing details of the incident, which occurred because safety netting was not attached to protective screens, and the sprinkler head snuck through a small gap.

Hundreds of workers and pedestrians have been hit and injured from debris or falling tools in the past two years. Stock image.

WorkSafe’s “dropped object calculator” shows the sprinkler would have hit the ground at 153km/h.

The educational tool was part of a $195,000 enforceable undertaking between WorkSafe and the company, which also included a new scholarship and other programs.

In the past two years, other construction site incidents involving falling objects, and which led to more than $1 million in fines, have included:

A STEEL smoke baffle falling from level 21 of a South Yarra building to a public road;

A PIECE of render falling from the fourth floor of a CBD site and hitting a pedestrian;

A 12KG mounting bracket falling 34 storeys onto Collins Street, close to pedestrians;

WorkSafe executive director health and safety, Sam Jenkin, said 280 construction workers had been injured since the start of 2023 and there had been countless near misses.

“Alarmingly, WorkSafe inspectors continue to see near misses where objects fall from

construction sites – and it’s only luck that prevents someone below being seriously injured,” Mr Jenkin said.

“Things like gaps in safety screens on mid and high-rise construction sites, missing kick

boards on scaffolding or debris or materials coming loose while being lifted can have

devastating consequences for anyone caught below at the wrong time.”

Multiplex’s Victorian managing director, Ross Snowball, said extra precautions had been taken on construction sites in recent years to eliminate risks, including extending the number of floors that safety barricades are in place.

The WorkSafe campaign is warning employers and workers that small falling objects can hit hard from a height; WorkSafe says one bolt could hit with the force of a fast motorcycle, and a sledge hammer could strike with the force of a city bus.