NSW: Union praises move to prosecute companies over Tunnel death

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2006
NSW: Union praises move to prosecute companies over Tunnel death

By Katherine Field

SYDNEY, Aug 17 AAP - Moves to prosecute a number of construction companies over the
death of a worker in Sydney's Cross City Tunnel have been welcomed by the major building
workers' union.

WorkCover today said it had charged construction giant Baulderstone Hornibrook and
several of its employees, two years after father-of-two Ronnie Shores was crushed to death
in the tunnel.

Mr Shores, 41, had been working on the project when he was killed by a boulder that
fell from the tunnel's roof.

The prosecutions, which also involve several Cross City Tunnel joint venture companies,
will be heard in the Industrial Relations Commission on August 24.

It is understood the companies face fines of up to $825,000 each, and that up to seven
managers could be jailed for up to two years if they have a previous offence recorded
against them and are again found to have broken safety laws.

The Construction Forestry Energy and Mining Union (CFMEU) has long campaigned for improved
worker safety.

"We're pleased that WorkCover has given this issue priority," CFMEU NSW secretary Andrew
Ferguson said.

"It was a great tragedy not just for that family but for our industry and we're pleased
there's been a thorough investigation."

But Mr Ferguson said he hoped that lower-ranked workers would not be made scapegoats.

"We believe that those who have power and those that control and direct people should
be the ones that are focused on, rather than working foremen that often are the subject
to direction and control and don't have a lot of choices and issues," he said.

Baulderstone's managing director Rick Turchini said the company had cooperated fully
with WorkCover's investigation and viewed Mr Shores' death as a "tremendous tragedy".

"We were deeply shocked and saddened by it and extended our support to the victim's
family and colleagues," Mr Turchini said.

He said the company would not comment further until legal proceedings had been completed.

WorkCover spokesman Ian Eather could not confirm the number of employees charged and
which joint venture companies would be affected.

The body has been investigating Baulderstone's parent company Bilfinger Berger, builder
Connell Wagner and its subsidiary CW-DC.

AAP kaf/was/jt/sd

KEYWORD: SHORES NIGHTLEAD

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