Mpriza Group and company manager Nicholas Zikos fined for breaches

A Top End solar installer has been fined in court after it accidentally sent photos of its workers, including a 14-year-old, at heights without proper fall protection. Read what happened.

Darwin city skyline. Picture: Kate Dinning

A solar installer that inadvertently exposed evidence it had breached health and safety codes with workers, including a 14-year-old, without adequate fall protection has been convicted.

NT WorkSafe initially charged Mpriza Group Pty Ltd and company manager Nicholas Zikos in August 2023 when workers, including a 21-year-old apprentice, were without adequate fall protection.

The company and Mr Zikos sent photos to NT Worksafe in June 2024, which showed workers again without adequate fall protection, incurring another set of charges.

One of those workers was a 14-year-old labour hire worker.

Mpriza Group Pty Ltd pleaded guilty in the Darwin Local Court to three charges by allowing its workers to work at heights without fall protection, exposing them to a risk of death or serious injury on the two occasions.

Mr Zikos plead guilty to three charges for failing his primary duty of care and exposing his workers to a risk of death or serious injury over the two incidents.

The company was fined a total of $24,000 and required to pay a victims levy of $3000.

Mr Zikos was fined a total sum of $6000 and required to pay a victims levy of $450.

The remaining charges against the company and Mr Zikos were withdrawn.

NT Work Health and Safety regulator Peggy Cheong said the criminal convictions and fines were a warning to industry to stop taking safety shortcuts when working at heights.

“National data released in September showed a concerning 71 per cent increase since 2022 in worker fatalities due to falls from heights,” she said.

“Despite these concerning statistics and WorkSafe inspectors’ efforts to ensure compliance, we are continuously receiving safety concerns regarding workers at heights without fall protection.”

Ms Cheong said concerned members of the public had made 18 reports of lack of fall protection in the past six weeks, and in cases such as Mpriza it was “serious offending which put workers at risk”.

“What is incredulous about this case was Mpriza Group had the required fall protection equipment at the worksites in both incidents, but decided not to use it,” she said.

“I’m concerned what type of example this sets for younger workers, considering a 21-year-old apprentice was involved in one incident, and a 14-year-old worker in the other incident.”