Company Fined $60,000 After Worker Falls Through Scaffold

What happened

Coconut PT Pty Ltd was found guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for failing to make sure work was done from a complete scaffold and for not following a safe work method statement (SWMS) in high-risk construction work.

They were fined $60,000 and ordered to pay $5,276 in court costs.

The incident

Back in May 2023 a worker was doing steel fixing inside a jumpform (temporary formwork used during concrete pours) with scaffolding made from hanger brackets and planks as temporary walking platforms.

While walking across the platform it failed because some hanger brackets weren’t properly fixed to the wall form (some had only one nail or none at all). There was no perimeter protection like handrails.

The worker fell more than two metres, the plank he was standing on fell onto him. He fractured his lower back and spine, fractured his knee and tore a knee ligament.

Why this was avoidable

WorkSafe’s investigation found the scaffold was incomplete and unsafe. The SWMS required things like handrails and secure fixing but those were ignored.

Coconut PT could reasonably have ensured the scaffold was completed before allowing workers on it. They also should have made sure high-risk construction work was done following the safe work method statement.

What this means

This case shows how vital basic safeguards are, like complete scaffolding, proper fixing of components, and perimeter protection. When employers skip these, serious injuries can happen.

WorkSafe Victoria emphasised they’ll keep using strong enforcement when safety obligations are ignored and workers get hurt.

TL;DR

• Coconut PT fined $60,000 + ~$5,300 in costs after a scaffold collapse injures a worker (18 Sep 2025)
• Worker fell >2 metres when scaffold platform gave way, suffered back, spine, knee injuries
• Scaffold was incomplete, lacked handrails, some brackets not nailed properly

Source: $60,000 fine after worker falls through scaffold