Fine for solar panel company tripled on appeal

A Victorian solar panel installation and maintenance company had its fine increased three-fold on appeal, after a WorkSafe inspector observed three workers on a roof working about 6 metres from the ground without fall protection (Director of Public Prosecutions v HQ Solar & Electrical Pty Ltd [2025]).

The incident

HQ Solar & Electrical Pty Ltd (HQ Solar) installs and maintains solar panels on residential and commercial properties. On 30 April 2024, inspectors from WorkSafe Victoria attended an HQ Solar site and directed three HQ Solar workers to come down from a second-storey roof they were working on, as they had no fall protection, including:

no guard rails where the works were taking place; and
an unused harness and rope kit left in the back yard that was not being used.

HQ Solar could only provide WorkSafe with a safe work method statement that appeared to have been used multiple times without any site-specific consideration.

A prohibition notice was issued to HQ Solar to not conduct any further installations until fall protection was installed. On the same day, the Director installed a guard railing and two harness sliding anchor points on the second-storey roof.

Charge and sentencing

At first instance, HQ Solar was fined $8,000 in the Magistrate’s Court. On appeal, the Court accepted the submission of the Director of Public Prosecution that the fine was manifestly inadequate for the seriousness of the offence, including the fact that there were an inadequate number of harnesses and three workers were exposed to the risk of a serious fall.

The fine was increased to $27,500, without conviction, as well as an order to pay costs.

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