A business owner’s attempt to cut costs resulted in the death of one of his drivers and maximum penalties under Work Safe laws, highlighting the dangers of DIY maintenance.
A 21-year-old driver died when the company’s water truck rolled while travelling down a long, steep, curved section of road. A forensic engineer engaged by Work Safe concluded the poor condition of the truck’s brakes, which were improperly adjusted, was the primary cause of the crash.
Work Safe revealed that the business owner attempted to cut costs by performing maintenance on his fleet of trucks. The driver also did not receive formal or supervised training in handling water trucks despite their unique handling characteristics. As a result, Work Safe gave maximum penalties to the business owner and another employee who assisted with the repairs.
Gallagher Newcastle area director Mark Bramley warned about the dangers of doing the repairs rather than calling for a professional.
“Many owner-operators see themselves as having the mechanical expertise – but not the qualifications – to meet maintenance and servicing requirements. They may be looking to cut costs in the short term by attempting to do repairs themselves, but as shown by this case, it’s a solution that doesn’t work in the long term,” Bramley said.
He added that the following types of insurance are crucial to cover costs if things go seriously wrong unexpectedly:
