WorkSafe

Finalists in the prestigious Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards 2025 have been decided, with the winners to be announced at Optus Stadium on October 28.

WorkSafe has received a record 138 submissions for this year’s Awards, a more than 50 percent increase on last year, and the judging panel has chosen 42 finalists in the five categories.

The five Award categories are:

An underground mining contractor was today fined $540,000—and ordered to pay $8,414 in costs—after an October 2022 rock fall in a ventilation shaft at the Hamlet Underground Gold Mine near Kambalda, which killed a driller and injured a probationary offsider.

A meat processing co-operative has been fined $785,000 (and ordered to pay more than $5700 in costs) over the death of a worker at a Katanning abattoir in 2022.

Western Australian Meat Marketing Co-operative Ltd (WAMMCO) pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing the death of a worker and was fined in the Albany Magistrates Court yesterday.

WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death of a man on a mine site near Wiluna in Western Australia’s Goldfields-Esperance region this morning. 

WorkSafe investigators from Perth and WorkSafe Mines Safety inspectors from Kalgoorlie will attend the site, which is 900 kilometres north-east of the State capital. They will arrive tomorrow. 

WorkSafe investigators examine the circumstances surrounding incidents to ensure compliance and prevent future occurrences of a similar nature. 

A mining fabrication company has been fined $500,000 (and ordered to pay more than $6500 in costs) over an incident in which a worker was seriously injured by a falling metal plate.

G & G Mining Fabrication Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing serious harm to a worker and was fined in the Midland Magistrates Court today.

In August 2021, a boilermaker was employed at the company’s workshop in Hazelmere where mining and earthmoving equipment was manufactured, including heavy excavator buckets.

A construction company has been fined $250,000 (and ordered to pay more than $6000 in costs) after the death of a 19-year-old worker in 2021.

PAWS Construction and Maintenance Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace and was fined in the Fremantle Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

In November 2021, a PAWS Construction employee died after suffering a traumatic head injury when he was struck by a sea container drawbridge ramp weighing around 250kg. At the time he was assisting his supervisor to lower the ramp.

Big Bell Gold Operations Pty Ltd was today fined $945,000 and ordered to pay $20,000 in costs after a truck fatally struck a worker at its Big Bell underground gold mine near Cue in Western Australia’s Mid West. 

WorkSafe temporarily shut down a Western Australian open-pit iron ore mine after a routine safety inspection in July 2025 uncovered inadequate emergency response capabilities. 

Inspectors from WA’s workplace health and safety regulator issued a notice prohibiting the operation of the mine’s heavy vehicles and limiting the movement of its light vehicles after they found the site—located more than 100 kilometres from the volunteer-staffed nearest responding agency—had no mobile plant and vehicle rescue equipment and minimal apparatus to deal with any emergency situation. 

A construction company has been fined $750,000 and a company director fined $45,000 over an incident in which a worker from another business was seriously injured in a fall.

CASM Construction Pty Ltd (administrators appointed) pleaded guilty to failing to ensure workers were not exposed to hazards and, by that failure, causing serious harm to a worker, and was fined in Northam Magistrates Court on Monday.

A company director also pleaded guilty to neglect as a director and was fined during the same court appearance. He was granted a spent conviction.