Massive fine after tradie death at worksite

A Victorian construction company has been fined $420,000 and convicted after a tradie fell more than three metres to their death at a building site nearly six years ago.

Carpenter Mario Mancini had been employed as a subcontractor to work on a house in Kalkallo, in Melbourne’s north, when the accident occurred on June 27, 2017.

Seascape Constructions Pty Ltd was sentenced in the County Court of Victoria on Wednesday after pleading guilty to a breach of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

In sentencing Seascape Constructions, Judge Damian Murphy said Mr Mancini and a fellow carpenter had not been advised by the company how to undertake their work safely on the site.

Judge Murphy said that in August 2016 the company had undertaken a contract to build a two-storey home in Kalkallo, about 30km north of Melbourne’s CBD.

Seascape Constructions, whose principal is David Sagor, employed multiple subcontractors to work on the site, but those initially hired for carpentry work were unable to finish the job, Judge Murphy said.

He said the company had a ‘Safe Work Method Statement’ for the first workers, however nothing was provided to Mr Mancini and another worker.

Judge Murphy said Mr Mancini and the other man were laying flooring sheets on the first floor when the incident occurred.

Mr Mancini was using an air hose to lower his nail when he fell about 3.1 metres over the edge and died at the scene, he said.

Judge Murphy described it as a “very serious departure from acceptable safety standards,” and said the prosecution submitted evidence that the company had been subject to three improvement notices and one prohibition notice prior to Mr Mancini falling to his death.

Seascape Constructions was contacted for comment.