A swim school in regional Victoria has been convicted and fined after an incident in 2016 left a student a quadriplegic after diving into the shallow end of the pool.
De Kort Enterprises Pty Ltd, which operates the Swim and Survival Academy, pleaded guilty in the Ballarat County Court for failing to ensure persons other than employees were not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
Evidence presented to the court heard that the 12-year-old girl dove into a shallow pool upon instruction by a teacher during a swimming lesson, and hit her head on the bottom, subsequently rendering her a quadriplegic.
WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Julie Nielsen said employers had to ensure the health and safety of everybody in the workplace.
“This is a tragic incident that has left a young girl with debilitating, life-long injuries,” she said.
“Every employer must be vigilant and take every reasonably practicable step to protect workers and members of the public in the workplace.”