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Contractor Craig Williams charged by NT Worksafe with industrial manslaughter over Bayview incident

NT Worksafe say the principal contractor allegedly ignored warnings about a risk of falls from the project's upper floor. (ABC News: Alice Pavlovic)

A contractor has become the second entity to be charged with industrial manslaughter in the Northern Territory, after the death of a worker at a construction site in April 2020.

A 60-year-old man was working at the site in Bayview, inner city Darwin, when he fell 3.2 metres through an unguarded void. 

In a statement released this morning, NT Worksafe says it will allege principal contractor Craig Williams, trading as Rainbow Beach Constructions, "recklessly ignored" repeated warnings from subcontractors about a risk of falls at a two-storey residential construction project.

Temporary scaffolding was allegedly removed in the lead up to the incident, and NT Worksafe will allege it was not replaced by any other safety measures to prevent falls despite allegations that the warnings were given.

The matter will be heard at the Darwin Local Court on March 28.

NT Worksafe said that if found guilty, Mr Williams could face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

It is the second time a person has been charged with industrial manslaughter by the Northern Territory's work safety watchdog.

Kalidonis NT Pty Ltd was last year charged in relation to the death of a worker in Maningrida.

The matter remains before the courts.

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