The critical importance of safety leadership
We all know how quickly a momentary lapse in judgment can lead to irreversible consequences. A recent case in New South Wales serves as a sobering reminder of the critical importance of safety leadership at every level of an organisation, especially among supervisors and managers.
In May 2021, a workshop manager at a regional quarry was found guilty of breaching his Work Health and Safety (WHS) duties after fatally striking a team member with a vehicle on site. The court found that the manager failed to keep a proper lookout for pedestrians while operating a ute, resulting in the tragic death of a colleague who was crouched nearby.
The NSW District Court ruled that the manager had breached Section 28 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, which requires workers to take reasonable care that their actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others. The judge noted that the manager’s conduct showed a clear lack of attention to established safety protocols—protocols he had helped to write and was responsible for enforcing.
This wasn’t a case of a worker ignoring a rule they didn’t know existed. This was a supervisor, someone in a position of authority, who had co-authored the site’s Safe Work Method Statement and was fully aware of the risks involved. Yet, in a moment of inattention, he failed to follow the very procedures designed to prevent such incidents.
This case is particularly alarming because it highlights a common but dangerous mindset: the assumption that “it won’t happen to me.” Too often, businesses have safety systems on paper but not in practice. Supervisors may become complacent, and workers may follow their lead. When leadership fails to model safe behaviour, the safety culture erodes.
This case should serve as a wake-up call for business owners and managers. It’s not enough to have policies and procedures in place. You must ensure they are actively followed, enforced, and reviewed regularly. Safety leadership must be visible, consistent, and accountable.
Ask yourself:
Are your supervisors trained and competent in their WHS responsibilities?
Do you have clear, practical vehicle and pedestrian interaction procedures on site?
Are your safety systems regularly audited and updated?
Most importantly, is safety truly embedded in your workplace culture, or just a box-ticking exercise?
If you’re unsure about the answers to any of these questions, now is the time to act. Don’t wait for a serious incident to expose the gaps in your system.
Anzen Safety and Training works closely with businesses to identify risks, strengthen safety leadership, and build practical, compliant systems that protect both people and operations. If you’d like to discuss how to improve safety in your workplace, we invite you to get in touch. Let’s make sure your team goes home safe every day.
