Fall of the Empire
How often are the investigators instructed to investigate the businesses’ attention to a system?
Effective risk management starts with a commitment to health and safety from those who manage the business. If an incident occurs, you will need to show the regulator that you have used an effective risk management process (Work Health and Safety Act 2011).
The most recent article about a worker seriously injured in fall talks about the effectiveness of the risk management: Worker seriously injured in fall
When the Investigator Arrives
When a workplace incident occurs, one of the first questions an investigator will ask is simple: What systems did the business have in place to manage this risk? Regulators such as WorkSafe Queensland expect businesses to show clear evidence of an effective risk management process. This expectation is tested every time something goes wrong.
The Incident
The seriously injured young worker mentioned in the case above fell from more than two metres from a retaining wall on a construction site. The fall happened while the worker was passing materials from the ground to a colleague on a higher level. The details of what caused the fall are still under investigation, but the situation reflects a common danger: working at height without reliable safeguards.
You can read full article here: Worker suffers electric shock and causes fire to property
The Law and Duty of Care
WorkSafe Queensland’s alert reminds us that elevated work areas present significant risks, especially near unprotected edges, unstable embankments, or areas without edge protection. Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, businesses have a clear duty: they must eliminate or minimise the risk of falls. An investigator will expect to see not just policies but practical evidence of safe systems in action.
The Hierarchy of Controls
To meet this duty, businesses are guided by the hierarchy of controls. The strongest option is always to eliminate the hazard entirely. If this is not possible, risks must be minimised through fall-prevention measures like guardrails, edge protection, or working platforms. Work positioning systems may be used where appropriate. Only as a last resort should fall-arrest systems be relied upon. These do not prevent a fall—they only limit its consequences, and they require flawless use and rapid rescue to be effective.
Why This Matters
True safety management goes beyond ticking boxes or reacting after something goes wrong. It means anticipating risks, embedding protective systems into daily work, and choosing the most effective measures available. A strong safety culture protects workers’ lives, not just a business’s compliance record.
The Investigator’s Return
So, how often do investigators look at a business’s systems? The answer: every time a serious incident happens, when a complaint is raised, or during targeted campaigns and random inspections in high-risk industries. Businesses never know exactly when scrutiny will come—but they do know it will come.
When the investigator arrives—whether at the beginning of an incident or in its aftermath—the only acceptable response is clear, consistent evidence that safety was taken seriously from the start.
