Report on the Workplace Accident at Jaxon Construction in Perth

This report examines a tragic workplace accident at Jaxon Construction in Perth, where two workers lost their lives due to a construction slab fall. The report details the incident, highlighting the company's failures in providing safety gear, training, and medical check-ups. It analyzes the accident, identifying critical faults in the company's WHS policy and management practices. The report also provides recommendations for Jaxon Construction, including employee development, improved safety arrangements, and a major restructuring of its WHS policy to prevent future incidents. The literature review supports the importance of workplace health and safety, emphasizing the impacts of stress, bullying, and infrastructural negligence. The investigation conducted by local police, the WA coroner, and Worksafe is expected to result in reputational damage and potential criminal charges for the company. The report underscores the need for effective workplace health and safety management within the construction industry.

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Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Executive Summary:
The paper is dedicated in the discussion of a precise case of accident occurred in the eastern
part of Perth. The paper examines an accident that happened in one of the workstations of
Jaxon Construction where two of the workers of the company lost their lives as a result of a
tragic event of fall of a construction slab. The paper investigates the case and recognises the
faults. In addition to this, the paper delivers an important set of recommendations for the
company which includes meeting the developmental needs of the employees, providing the
safety arrangements to the employees along with a major restructuring in the WHS policy of
the company to ensure that these sorts of incidents are not repeated in future.

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Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................3
Case description:........................................................................................................................4
Literature Review:......................................................................................................................6
Case Analysis and Recommendations:......................................................................................9
Conclusion:..............................................................................................................................10
References:...............................................................................................................................11

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Introduction:
The importance towards the incorporation of the workplace health and safety is seen
to increase in a notable manner over the years for the companies across the world. With a
precise focus on increased interest of the governments and the various governmental
regulatory agencies in the formation of the legislations for the effective management of the
workplace health and safety of the labour or employees, the pressure on the organizations
regarding the appropriate formation of the process and structures of the conducting their
business is seen to be immense. The Australian government is seen to put strong emphasis on
the workplace health and safety of the employees of the organizations operating in the region
and that is pretty evident with the formation of the strict legislations regarding the WHS
policies for the organizations (Schofield, Reeve and McCallum 2014).
The implications of the legislations framed by the Australian government and the
various regulatory agencies of the government on the construction industry is seen to be
significant. The companies operating in the region are focusing on the effective management
of the health and safety of the employees and that is pretty evident with the increment in the
urgency amongst the decision makers of the organization regarding the formation of the
sustainable policies for preventing the employees from any sort of health and safety related
risks. The paper is focused in the discussion of a specific accident happened in the eastern
part of Perth. The paper analyses an accident that took place in one of the workplaces of
Jaxon Construction where two of the employees of the company lost their lives owing to a
tragic incident of fall of a construction slab. The paper analyses the case and identifies the
faults. Along with that, the paper provides a crucial set of recommendation for the company
to make sure that these sorts of events are not repeated.

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Case description:
Jaxon Construction is one of the reputed organization in the construction industry of
Australia. The organization has the expertise of constructing various sorts of resorts,
commercial and official business spaces. The company is dedicated in providing quality
service to their customers in the development of the residential, student accommodations,
refurbishment projects, hospitality, aged care along with the student accommodation centres
(Jaxon.net.au. 2019). The company uses skilled and experience labours for the effective
management of their construction work and is determined in considering the safety and
security of the employees to be the top most priority. According to business researchers of the
construction industry in the mentioned regions, Jaxon Construction has the capability to
provide such a service to the customers that exceeds their expectation levels (Jaxon.net.au.
2019). The company is currently having a significant growth and that is pretty evident with
the news of considerable number of lucrative projects stationed in the pipeline of the
company.
As per the claim of the company, it considers the safety and efficient management of
workplace health of the employees to be the top most priority, however, with the increasing
cases of the accidents that are affecting the safety of the employees and causing major
injuries to the employees, the company is seen to face the consequences in accordance to the
government legislations in a more frequent manner in the recent years (Jaxon.net.au. 2019).
One such major accident took place in one of the construction sites of the company in the
eastern region of Perth. Three of the company’s long serving employees died due to the fall
of a massive construction slab from one of the delivery trucks during the unloading
operations.
The incident took place at 25th of November in the year 2015 at exactly 11.35 am
(Abc.net.au. 2019). The mentioned time is considered to be one of the busiest hours for the

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employees of Jaxon as all the sectors of the company operates at that period of time. A group
of employees headed by the supervisor, was observed to be unlading a series of trucks loaded
with construction slabs hat had to be used in the site. However, it was reported by the local
police that the workers responsible for the unloading operations were observed to use none of
the safety gears and the supervisor of the team responsible for the unloading operations of the
slabs, had no major concern regarding this. This was conveyed to the local police by one of
the witnesses who later claimed that he and a group of five people tried their level best to
uplift the slab to take the employees out, however, the slabs were too heavy for them. With a
quick spread of the news of such tragic event, all the other employees and the general public
gathered at the location and helped the witness and the group in taking out the employees. It
took a great deal of efforts and time for those individuals to take the employees of Jaxon out
of the slab according to one of the eye witness’ claim to the police during the investigation.
Apart from this, a trusted source of the police claimed that the other employees of the
organization reported that the company had provided no major training for educating the
employees regarding the unloading operations (Abc.net.au. 2019). In addition to this, the
employees of the company also claimed that the company had no prior medical check -up of
their employees before recruiting them in the high risk operations of the construction sites.
One of the senior employees, in that group of employees investigated by the local police,
claimed that one of the employees died in the fall of the construction slab communicated
about his illness to their group supervisor, however, that went in vain as the supervisor of the
group forced them to join the work as he was expecting it to be a hectic day owing to the
excessive amount of work pressure and the approaching deadline for the completion of the
work. As a result of inappropriate transferring of the slabs with the help of the heavy trucks,
one of the construction slab fell down and two of the employees lost their lives. The local
police, WA coroner along with Worksafe are observed to be involved in an investigation

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which is expected to pose considerable amount of reputational damage to he selected
company as an employer (Abc.net.au. 2019). As an immediate result of the event, all the
operational sites of the company were seen to be closed from the part of the senior
management of the company (Abc.net.au. 2019). The employee union and the other relevant
stakeholders of the case, were waiting for the result of the investigation and the senior
management of the company was anticipating to face criminal charges along with massive
penalization from the part of the above mentioned regulatory agencies.
Literature Review:
Before undertaking the review of the literature, the specification of the topic will be
crucial and with a precise focus on that, the topic for the section is the impact of the
workplace safety and health in the business world. The concept of the workplace health and
safety is based on the one of the major concerns of the modern business world that is the real
time risk associated with the business operations. Loeppke et al. (2015) commented that, the
increasing intensity in the business operations of the companies is becoming one of the major
reason responsible for the stretch of the employees in modern business sectors. Xiang et al.
(2013) highlighted the importance of the workplace health and safety with the claim that it is
important for the employees to be aware of the surroundings as that have the potential to
eliminate the detrimental impact of the hazards of the surrounding from affecting them. The
increased amount of impurities in the air starting from the dust to smoke available in the
various workplaces has the potential to affect the well- being of the employees in terms of the
health standards.
On the other hand, Fabius et al. (2013) highlighted another important factor
associated with definition of the appropriate workplace with the claim that the reduction in
the workplace stress generated amongst the employees has the potential to improve their

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performances inside the organizations. Loeppke et al. (2013) claimed that the increased
incidents of colleague bullying, is playing a crucial role in stating the declining condition of
the workplaces in many of the modern organizations. Kim, Park and Park (2016) highlighted
an important factor in this aspect with the comment that, the junior employees of the
organizations are seen to be at threat of getting bullied by the seniors and that is affecting the
team performances of the organizations in a negative manner. Kim, Park and Park (2016)
further stated that the increasing incidents of the workplace bullying is indicating towards the
generation of the fear amongst considerable number of employees which is leading the
employees towards the generation of the frustration and job stress. The formation of the job
stress amongst the employees plays a crucial role in affecting the openness of the junior
employees towards the achievement of the developmental needs and that creates notable
amount of constraints in their operations in matching with the desired amount of quality.
Amponsah-Tawiah and Mensah (2016) also portrayed a significant factor related to
the workplace safety of the employees affecting their performances with the claim that the
incapability from the part of the companies in providing the required safety gears and tools to
the employees is becoming a major obstacle for the employees of the modern generation.
Animashaun and Odeku (2014) stated that infrastructural negligence from the part of the
companies of the modern business industry is becoming a serious issues as it contributing to a
great deal of life threatening accidents. Animashaun and Odeku (2014) further added that the
companies are using the labours belonging to the low income groups for executing their
operational activities in the workforces, however, the companies are not providing the
smallest of safety arrangements to those employees. Fabius et al. (2013) claimed that, the
absence of the sufficient education amongst those employees is becoming the main factor in
favour of the companies which enables the companies to cheat to their employees in
providing the basic security arrangements.

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One of the major concern for majority of the child care and human organizations are
observed to be the unethical and illegal usage of the children in the completion of these
activities and that is pretty evident with the formation of various guidelines from the part of
these agencies in enforcing the compliance of the business activities of the organizations with
the existing legislations related to the workplace health and safety. Loeppke et al. (2013)
claimed that, various national and international governmental agencies are aware of the
situation and are focused in the formation of the relevant legislations which will force the
companies in the development of a strong workplace health and safety policies which will be
able to contribute the safety and security of the employees inside the organizations. Apart
from this, one of the major concern for majority of the junior employees in handling the high
risk activities is seen to be the lack of training. AlBattat and Som (2013) commented a harsh
truth related to the business operations of the modern organizations with the claim that
majority of the organizations operating in the industry, are seen to inappropriately manage the
developmental needs of the employees and that becomes a major reason of the increment in
the faulty operations from the part of the employees.
AlBattat and Som (2013) commented that, one of the major reason of the formation of
the job stress amongst the employees is the inappropriate management of their developmental
needs which results in the faulty operations from their part and encourages a reputational
damage from the supervisors. Salisu, Chinyio and Suresh (2015) are able to comment about a
more intense consequences with the claim that the inappropriate management of the
developmental needs and the faulty operations from the part of the junior employees have the
potential to affect their life and that becomes a major issue for each of the stakeholders
associated with the business operations of the companies. Hence the need of incorporating a
strong and efficient workplace health and safety policy from the part of the companies
becomes necessary as a responsible employer. In addition to this, it is important for the

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employees as well, to make sure that they report regarding the unsafe working conditions to
their supervisors and also communicate their developmental needs to the organizations; The
companies, on the other hand, requires to take the responsibility of making sure that they
implement the required measures for providing the safety and security to their employees as
that will enable them to avoid any sort of reputational and monetary damage and along with
that, will also help them in retaining their talented employees and in improving their
reputation as a responsible employer.
Case Analysis and Recommendations:
With a precise focus on the presented case, it is pretty evident that the evidences
recorded by the local police and the other investigating authorities have clearly portrayed the
negligence from the part of the company in meeting the required developmental needs of the
employees, in providing the least amount of safety arrangements along with considering the
health condition of the employees before asking them to join the operations. Along with that,
the case also portrays the necessity of transferring the heavy weight construction slabs in an
appropriate manner. Hence with a precise focus on the case, a series of recommendations are
mentioned below:
The company is expected to make sure that the design relevant training and
developmental activities for the employees and that needs to be focused on the identified
developmental needs of the employees of the organization.
Along with this, the company needs to make sure that they have the relevant
infrastructure in place for meeting the needs of the employees regarding the safety
arrangements. This will be crucial from the part of the company in managing the adverse
situations and will provide notable amount of advantage to the mentioned company in
managing the unexpected risks.

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In addition to this, the company needs to develop the required infrastructure for
measuring the fitness of the employees on daily basis as that will effectively provide an idea
of the health standards of the employees. This will be crucial for the employees of the
organization in making sure that the fit and health wise sound employees are joining the
work. Along with this, it will enable the company in avoiding any sort of accidents that can
be caused owing to the inappropriate heal condition of the employees.
The company needs to improve their workplace health and safety policy to add the
mentioned provisions as that will surely increase the effectiveness of the policy in terms of
better functionality and safety of the employees inside the workplaces.
Conclusion:
On a concluding note, it is pretty evident that the incident of the Jaxon Construction
presents a tragic case of inappropriate workplace health and safety. In addition to this, the
case creates notable amount of concerns for the company as the members of the senior
management had to face the criminal charges and along with monetary penalization. The
families of the dead employees were observed to lose their close one owing to the negligence
from the part of the decision makers of the company. The company requires a significant
restructuring in their WHS policy with the inclusion of the mentioned provisions for making
sure that these sorts of events do not repeat in near future.

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References:
Abc.net.au 2019. Three dead in two separate Perth workplace accidents. [online] Available
at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-25/three-men-dead-in-perth-workplace-accidents/
6973130
AlBattat, A.R.S. and Som, A.P.M., 2013. Employee dissatisfaction and turnover crises in the
Malaysian hospitality industry. International Journal of Business and Management, 8(5),
p.62.
Amponsah-Tawiah, K. and Mensah, J., 2016. Occupational health and safety and
organizational commitment: Evidence from the Ghanaian mining industry. Safety and Health
at work, 7(3), pp.225-230.
Animashaun, O. and Odeku, K.O., 2014. Industrial accident and safety hazards at the
workplace: A spatio-physical workplace approach. Mediterranean Journal of Social
Sciences, 5(20), p.2949.
Fabius, R., Thayer, R.D., Konicki, D.L., Yarborough, C.M., Peterson, K.W., Isaac, F.,
Loeppke, R.R., Eisenberg, B.S. and Dreger, M., 2013. The link between workforce health and
safety and the health of the bottom line: tracking market performance of companies that
nurture a “culture of health”. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 55(9),
pp.993-1000.
Jaxon.net.au 2019. JAXON - Construction Company Perth WA. [online] Available at:
https://www.jaxon.net.au/
Kim, Y., Park, J. and Park, M., 2016. Creating a culture of prevention in occupational safety
and health practice. Safety and health at work, 7(2), pp.89-96.

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Loeppke, R.R., Hohn, T., Baase, C., Bunn, W.B., Burton, W.N., Eisenberg, B.S., Ennis, T.,
Fabius, R., Hawkins, R.J., Hudson, T.W. and Hymel, P.A., 2015. Integrating health and
safety in the workplace: how closely aligning health and safety strategies can yield
measurable benefits. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 57(5), pp.585-
597.
Loeppke, R.R., Schill, A.L., Chosewood, L.C., Grosch, J.W., Allweiss, P., Burton, W.N.,
Barnes-Farrell, J.L., Goetzel, R.Z., Heinen, L., Hudson, T.W. and Hymel, P., 2013.
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Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 55(5), pp.500-506.
Salisu, J.B., Chinyio, E. and Suresh, S., 2015. The impact of compensation on the job
satisfaction of public sector construction workers of jigawa state of Nigeria. The Business &
Management Review, 6(4), p.282.
Schofield, T., Reeve, B. and McCallum, R., 2014. Australian workplace health and safety
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Xiang, J., Bi, P., Pisaniello, D. and Hansen, A., 2013. Health impacts of workplace heat
exposure: an epidemiological review. Industrial health, pp.2012-0145.