A construction company was fined in the SA Industrial Relations Court recently for its part in the collapse of heavy concrete panels at a northern suburbs building site.

SafeWork SA was able to prove that Stevlyn Constructions put at risk its own employee and several others when an operation to lift a pre-cast concrete panel went wrong.

The court heard how in March 2007, the director of the company was operating a crane to put in place a panel of concrete walling for the extension to the Angle Vale Shopping Centre.

During the operation, an outrigger of the crane came off its blocks, causing the crane and its load to slowly topple. As the panel came down, it struck another which then broke from its prop and fell to the ground.

In its case to the court, SafeWork SA submitted that:
* the crane was operating beyond its safe working limits;
* no adequate hazard identification or risk assessment was undertaken on the task;
* there was a failure to ensure the lift was within the safe working limits of the crane.

Industrial magistrate Michael Ardlie convicted and fined the company $30,000 after reducing the amount by $15,000 to account for economic hardship suffered by the defendant. The company has indicated it will appeal.

Notwithstanding this, SafeWork SA is issuing a general warning to the construction industry to be ever mindful of the dangers of working with tilt-up concrete panels.

"Because of the size and weight of these panels, there are often no second chances if one comes loose," says SafeWork acting executive director, Bryan Russell.

"Extra safety procedures and precautions must always be in place when undertaking this type of work because the consequences of mistakes or oversights can be tragic and catastrophic."