Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court has fined the Melbourne-based aged care provider after it pleaded guilty to a single charge of failing to ensure a safe workplace.
In October 2021, a 90-year-old resident at BlueCross in Glenroy, 12km north of Melbourne's CBD, who was unable to walk, fell out of his bed, landing with his feet against a hydronic wall heater.
At the time, the aged care home was impacted by staff shortages due to a COVID-19 outbreak, and the resident himself had tested positive to the virus. The resident suffered severe burns, and four months later died from sepsis caused by complications of necrotic burns.
WorkSafe Victoria Executive Director of Health and Safety, Sam Jenkin, said, in a statement, the incident was entirely preventable.
"The risk of wall heaters causing burn injuries to aged care residents is well known within the industry, and so are the ways to control it," he said.
A WorkSafe risk assessment conducted two months before the incident had recommended the provider review the temperatures of all heaters to ensure residents could not be burnt and to consider installing heater guards.
BlueCross, which was bought by Opal HealthCare in March 2024, was fined $66,000 without conviction, plus $4,132 in costs.
