WorkSafe Western Australia has commenced prosecution proceedings against multiple companies this month, with three separate matters — each involving a worker fatality — listed before WA magistrates courts in the space of just five days.

The cluster of cases, spanning incidents at a gold mine, a construction site and a rural property, paints a sobering picture of the range of environments in which Australian workers continue to lose their lives.

The Cases

Thunderbox Mine — Cyanide Exposure (Laverton, 10 September 2026)

Two companies — Northern Star (Thunderbox) Pty Ltd and Coogee Chemicals Pty Ltd — have been charged in relation to a fatality at the Thunderbox gold mine in the Goldfields region. An employee of Coogee Chemicals who was delivering caustic soda to the mine was exposed to a solution containing cyanide and subsequently died. The matter was listed for first mention in the Laverton Magistrates Court on 10 September 2026.

The case raises serious questions about chemical safety management at mine sites, including the procedures in place for the safe receipt, handling and storage of hazardous substances delivered to operational mining sites, and whether workers were adequately informed about the chemical hazards present at the location they were attending.

Roof Fall Fatality (Katanning, 14 September 2026)

A company has been charged in relation to an incident in which a worker fell through a roof and died. The matter was listed for first mention in the Katanning Magistrates Court on 14 September 2026. The company faces charges alleging a failure to comply with a health and safety duty.

Falls through fragile or unprotected roof surfaces remain one of the most preventable categories of workplace fatality in Australia. Safe Work Australia’s Code of Practice for Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces requires employers to identify all fragile surfaces before any roofwork commences and to implement controls — including physical barriers, covers, or safety nets — before workers are permitted to access those areas.

Tree Pruning Death (Armadale, 15 September 2026)

Mr Palmer WA Pty Ltd has been charged following an incident in which a worker died while pruning a tree. The matter was listed for next mention in the Armadale Magistrates Court on 15 September 2026.

Arboricultural and tree work continues to rank among the most hazardous occupations in Australia. The sector has historically high fatality rates, with struck-by incidents — involving falling limbs, the tree being felled, or equipment — the most common cause of fatal injury.

The Bigger Picture

These three cases come on top of an earlier WorkSafe WA prosecution commenced this month relating to a separate incident in which a member of the public was struck and killed by a tow truck at an auction facility, listed before the Fremantle Magistrates Court on 7 September.

Four fatality-related prosecutions in a single month is a stark reminder that workplace deaths are being taken seriously by regulators — and that the consequences of failing to meet WHS obligations can extend well beyond the immediate tragedy.

WorkSafe WA’s prosecution summaries and enforceable undertakings are published at worksafe.wa.gov.au.