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$110,000 fine after high wire injury

The operator of The Summit at Trafalgar East has been convicted and fined a total of $110,000 after a student high wire injury.
Worksafe Victoria stated the adventure park operator had failed to ensure the safety of school students visiting the camp in early 2020.
It reported The Summit Pty Ltd was sentenced in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court on December 21 after pleading guilty to three charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.


The company was fined $100,000 for failing to ensure persons other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks and an aggregate $10,000 for two charges of failing to notify WorkSafe immediately after an incident, Worksafe stated.
It was also ordered to pay $10,591 in costs.
In February 2020, the court heard a school student was participating in a high wire activity 10 to 12 metres off the ground when her helmet strap became entangled with the wire, effectively strangling her.
The student couldn't breathe and began kicking her legs whilst foaming at the mouth, ultimately losing consciousness.
When a facilitator for the activity did not receive a response to an emergency radio request, the court heard a teacher from the school climbed up without safety equipment to free the student and help her return to the ground.
Worksafe stated the student spent a night in hospital and, although she had made a full physical recovery, she had been diagnosed with PTSD and required ongoing counselling and treatment.
The court heard WorkSafe was not notified of the incident and only became aware following an anonymous report three days later.
During a subsequent site visit, WorkSafe stated inspectors were informed of a separate incident that had occurred on the same day, resulting in a student falling and sustaining a fractured ankle which required corrective surgery.
An investigation found The Summit's rescue protocol for any emergency at height was for a responder from the management team to attend the activity, don a harness, climb up the apparatus using equipment brought by a second responder and then attend to the participant, Worksafe stated.
The court heard an expert found the protocol was inadequate, as waiting for rescuers and equipment that were not close to the activity prolonged the rescue operations, exposing those involved to further risks to their health and safety, including death.
WorkSafe executive director of health and safety Narelle Beer said it was important for all workplaces to be adequately prepared for an emergency.
"Every employer should have a plan in place to let workers and visitors know what to do when things go wrong, but it is absolutely critical in workplaces that engage in high-risk activity," Dr Beer said.
"Emergency plans should be reviewed and, if necessary, revised on a regular basis to ensure they remain effective."

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