Two Fatal Lessons: When Fall Protection and Vehicle Separation Fail

31 Oct 25

Across two very different worksites last week, both the ground and gravity again proved unforgiving teachers. In one, a bridge worker fell almost four metres while stripping formwork. In another, a vehicle struck and killed a woman at a country showground. The common theme: control measures existed in theory, but not in verified, living practice.

The Bridgeworks Case – $150 000 for a 3.85m Fall

SafeWork NSW confirmed Bridgeworks (Aust) Pty Ltd was fined $150 000 after a worker fell 3.85 m from a bridge abutment at Huntley while removing formwork. The company pleaded guilty under section 32 of the WHS Act 2011 (NSW) for failing to comply with its primary duty.

The incident exposed weak supervision and incomplete edge protection during strip-out. The controls were on the drawings but not on the deck.

Key takeaways • Falls remain a top enforcement priority for SafeWork NSW • Edge protection and harness systems must be verified, not assumed • Supervisors need authority and competency to stop unsafe work • Verification records—who checked, when, and what—should be visible at site level

For officers, this is a reminder that “we have a SWMS” is not a defence. The court expects demonstrable, ongoing verification of controls, not paperwork alone.

Ulmarra Fatal Crash – Alleged Murder Charge after Vehicle Strikes Woman

NSW Police reported that a 50-year-old man has been charged with murder after a 55-year-old woman was struck and killed by a white 4WD at the Ulmarra Showground around 1650 h on 28 Oct 25. The vehicle was later seized, and the man refused bail.

The victim was later identified as former Grafton police officer Lisa Ward. The case has shaken both the local community and policing circles, underscoring how quickly vehicle movements in shared-use areas can turn fatal.

Key takeaways • Mixed-use sites require strict vehicle-pedestrian segregation • Temporary traffic management must be risk-assessed for public areas • Fleet operators must preserve data — CCTV, telematics, GPS — to support investigations • A failure to disclose driver or passenger identity can attract serious penalties

While this was a criminal matter, the safety implications remain operational: without engineered separation and controlled access, even non-work vehicles create workplace risk.

Lessons for Industry

Both cases show how “controls on paper” mean nothing without verification, supervision, and behavioural enforcement. Whether it’s a fall-prevention system or a vehicle exclusion zone, the system only works when it’s actively maintained.

Checklist for leaders

1. Audit verification processes — are supervisors documenting control checks?

2. Review pedestrian-vehicle interface layouts at depots, showgrounds, and public events

3. Confirm your fall-prevention training currency and rescue plan testing

4. Ensure officers can produce evidence of due diligence in action, not intention

Safety is not a set-and-forget obligation. It’s a discipline that demands daily proof.