Buildings in Perth and WA are getting taller and taller and taller which makes working at heights a common occurrence for construction workers. However, a fall from as little as one meter can cause serious injury and in some sad cases even prove fatal. If you or someone you love has been injured due to a fall from height our work injury lawyers can help you make things right.
Millner and knight have two conveniently located Perth offices within walking distance from the city bus and train stations. If you’re driving here there’s plenty of on-street parking and a number of multistorey car parks in the immediate vicinity.
12/17 Prowse St, West Perth WA 6005 – Get Directions
St Martins, Tower, Level 27/44 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000 – Get Directions
To book an appointment please call 08 6206 8080.
Our work injury experts offer free impartial advice and will not pressure you into taking things further.
What is a fall from height?
Working at heights means work in any place where, if precautions were not taken, a person could fall which can result in a personal injury.
Common causes of falls from height:
Falls in the workplace
When people think of working at heights, they generally think of a person falling off a ladder or from a tall building. Falls from any height cause of death and serious injury in Australian workplaces. Some of the most common work duties that can result in a fall from height include:
- stacking shelves
- working on roofs
- unloading trucks
- working around holes, trenches or service pits.
- using ladders
- working on scaffolding
- working on elevated work platforms
Even instances of slips and trips can count as a fall from height.
People working on construction sites and FIFO mine sites are at the greatest risk of falls from height, although they can happen anywhere, any time and usually when you least expect it. Falls from height don’t just happen in the workplace
In Australia each year many people become unsuspected victims of falls from height in public places. Some of the most common types of fall accident that happen in public places include.
- Falling into trenches and excavations, for example, trenches dug by NBN Co
- Slips and trips on stairs due to a wet floor or faulty step
- Somebody falling into you on an escalator
- Faulty handrail or balustrade
- Amusement park or funfair accidents
- Falling from a faulty chair
Please don’t worry if we haven’t mentioned what caused your fall from height in the two lists above because we can probably still help. We have a dedicated team of specialist workers compensation and public liability lawyers ready to help you with any type of accident that resulted from working at heights.
How do I know if I’m eligible to make a claim for my fall from height in WA?
Suffering an unexpected injury can be extremely frustrating as well as painful. It can be especially frustrating if it happened due to no fault of your own.
Finding who was at fault for accidents can sometimes be quite difficult because when you’re working at heights accidents tend to happen quite quickly and when you least expect it.
If you’re found to be not at fault you will more than likely be entitled to compensation. You may also be able to take advantage of our no win no costs guarantee. This means that if for some reason you lose your case, you won’t be left out of pocket.
Please note: In some instances, a ‘no-fault’ scheme may apply which means you can claim compensation regardless of who caused the accident.
Only a practising lawyer can make this decision for you using their decades worth of knowledge and experience. They can let you know in minutes whether your eligible or not and make you aware of your rights. Call our expert workplace lawyers to find out where you stand today. All calls are free and you won’t be under any obligations when you call us.
Facts about working at heights
We reviewed many Australian workplace injury and fatality statistics relating to falls from heights from some research carried out by Queensland University.
- In Australia, there were 25 workplace fatalities resulting from falls from height in 2019
- Australian companies lose over 100,000 days per annum due to falls in the workplace and
- The average time a victim of a working at heights accident tales of work to recover is 93 days
- Over 30% of falls on site resulted in a serious injury (‘serious injury’ defined as broken bone or fracture or more severe injury)
- In construction, over 20% of all recorded workplace injuries are falls from height
- The construction industry is the biggest killer when it comes to fatal falls
- The biggest contributor to falls from heights is the incorrect use of ladders on site
Construction companies have a duty of care to keep employees safe when working at heights at all times. If they have failed to do this then you could be entitled to compensation.
How much compensation can I get for a fall injury?
In the early stages of your fall injury claim your lawyer won’t be able to give you an exact compensation amount. Although no two working at heights cases are the same, the things that a lawyer will consider when negotiating a fall from height claim can be.
Some of the things that they will calculate when preparing your claim will include:
- Lost earnings and future loss of earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Expenses related to travel (eg. Hospital transport)
- Care costs – these may include the costs to care for you, your loved one, or your children
Our online calculator can give you an estimate of how much compensation you could be owed.
We will do our best to make sure that your job is still there when you’re ready to return. If they dismiss you then you might be eligible for more compensation in the form of an unfair dismissal claim.
Fatalities resulting from a fall from height
According to Work Safe Australia, between July 2003 and June 2011, 232 workers were killed after a fall from height and from 2010 – 2011, 29 workers were killed. They go on to say that whilst there has been no improvement in the number of deaths resulting in a fall from a height over the past 8 years, compared to the number of fatalities 20 years ago, the number has halved.
If you’ve lost a loved one due to a fall from a height, we understand that no amount of money can ever make this right but compensation may ease the stress in one area of your life.
We appreciate how difficult this must be for you and will be there to help and listen whenever you feel ready.
How to start a fall at work claim?
If you feel ready to start your journey to compensation there are two ways to get the ball rolling. Either call us free on 1800 106 107 and speak with our friendly trained advisors or start your claim online and we will call you back.
Please don’t feel nervous about calling us, our team are highly trained experts who treat people with empathy and respect. When you call Millner and Knight, you will never feel pressured into staring your claim and be under no obligations whatsoever.
