Haileybury College admits workplace failures after groundskeeper’s death

A Melbourne private school has admitted failing to keep staff safe after a groundskeeper died from a falling tree branch that had been flagged as dangerous.

Haileybury College is facing a fine of up to $1.5 million.

Clarification: A previous version of this story referred to Hailebury principal Derek Scott pleading guilty to the offences. The Herald Sun wishes to make it clear that Mr Scott was not charged with any offence. He attended court as a representative of the school and pleaded guilty on the school’s behalf.

A Melbourne private school has admitted failing to keep staff safe after a groundskeeper died from a falling tree branch that had been flagged as dangerous.

Kym Page, 38, died from head injuries on Valentine’s Day 2018 after a large eucalyptus branch struck and killed him while pruning the gardens at Haileybury College’s Berwick campus.

College principal Derek Scott attended Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to enter guilty pleas on the school’s behalf to two counts of failing to provide a safe workplace.

The school is facing a fine of up to $1.5 million with the charges relating to failures to provide information, instruction and training to employees or maintain systems of work that were safe and without risks to health.

Mr Page was not wearing a safety helmet at the time with school policies around PPE focused on risks in classrooms, not work performed by grounds staff.

Two chainsaws, one still running, were found near his body.

The school was in possession of a Tree Management Plan with trees at the school, including the Manna Gum that fell Mr Page, assessed in 2013, 2016 and 2017.

The tree had been assessed as “posing a risk of further branch failures” and it was recommended foliage not be removed or anyone stand underneath it.

Mr Page was understood to have been pruning the tree when a large Eucalyptus branch became detached.

No-one witnessed the tragedy.

A tree removal specialist who had previously done works at the school told WorkSafe investigators if he had been engaged to do the work Mr Page was doing before he died he would have “put a rope or chain on the end of the branch and driven off with a truck.”

Following Mr Page’s death, Haileybury paid tribute to the much-loved staff member who had worked at the school since 2002.

“Kym was passionate about this role at Haileybury — his work contributed to the beauty of the grounds that we admire today,” the tribute read.

“Kym gave his time and energy for the betterment of this community and for the enjoyment of our students, staff and families.”

It continued that the school community was “deeply saddened” by his sudden passing and that he would be “terribly missed by us all”.

Mr Page is survived by his wife and their two children.

A pre-sentencing hearing will be heard in the County Court on November 24.