More Than $17 Million in Penalties for Unsafe Work in 2025

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Victorian employers who ignore their health and safety responsibilities are paying a heavy price. In 2025 WorkSafe Victoria recorded a total of $17,391,325 in fines, court costs and enforceable undertakings after prosecutions and legal outcomes for workplace safety breaches.

That total included the state’s first workplace manslaughter conviction fine being increased to a massive $3 million on appeal, three other seven-figure penalties, and 29 results over $100,000.

In total, WorkSafe completed 137 successful prosecutions and enforceable undertakings last year, sending a clear message that unsafe work practices won’t be tolerated.

Which industries were hit hardest

WorkSafe’s enforcement focus reflected where harm is most likely:

• Construction topped the list with 64 prosecutions.
• Manufacturing followed with 30 prosecutions.
• Transport, postal and warehousing accounted for 8 results.

The type of safety breaches shows where risks are most common:

• Working at height offences were the most frequent, involving 52 outcomes and totalling about $3.74 million in penalties.
• Breaches involving mobile plant like forklifts and cranes came next, with 26 outcomes.
• Unguarded machinery was also a common issue, with 17 successful results.

What WorkSafe is saying

WorkSafe’s Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin pointed out that focusing on high-risk industries makes sense because that’s where the most serious harm tends to happen.

“Construction remains Victoria’s deadliest industry with 69 fatalities in the last five years, largely due to preventable falls from height,” he said, adding that manufacturing and transport also continue to see significant harm.

WorkSafe doesn’t just act after injuries occur. Where risks are obvious or persistent, inspectors will push for enforcement even if an incident hasn’t yet happened.

The agency also prosecuted 35 duty holders last year based solely on observed or reported safety concerns, not just incidents that led to injury.

The human cost

Of the 137 successful legal actions last year:

• 17 involved cases where a worker had died.
• Other cases involved life-changing injuries such as paraplegia, brain damage and amputations.

Jenkin said these outcomes show what’s at stake when safety isn’t taken seriously. “Not putting up guardrails for a quick roofing job or letting an apprentice work alone might save a bit of time or money, but you’re gambling with a person’s life,” he said.

Takeaway

WorkSafe Victoria’s enforcement numbers from 2025 send a clear warning to employers: safety isn’t optional and breaches can lead to serious legal and financial consequences. The emphasis isn’t just on punishment but on making workplaces safer and preventing harm before it happens.