Fines Fall on Execs

Two senior executives of the company responsible for the Canberra Airport hangar collapse have been fined a total of $36,000.

The ACT Magistrates handed out fines of $18,000 each to Strarch International Managing Director Mark Langbein and Project Manager Craig Murray after the pair pleaded guilty to charges relating to the 2003 incident.

The Court heard Strarch deviated from the original plan for erecting the roof structure and failed update engineering calculations.

Twelve workers were injured when the hangar collapsed.

"These penalties highlight that individual executives have safety duties under the act and will be brought to account before the courts if they fail in these duties," ACT WorkCover Commissioner Erich Janssen said.

"The failure to do fresh engineering calculations, to review the construction safety management system or adopt adequate procedures to monitor possible movement in the structure under the modified erection method were admitted by both defendants."

One company and five individuals have been prosecuted in relation safety offences associated with the hangar collapse.

"Further charges against three companies, including Strarch International Ltd, now in liquidation, will be heard early in 2006 with outcomes in some of those cases not likely until the middle of the year," Janssen said.

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Last modified: Wednesday, 21-Dec-2005 22:10:29 EST