A private college in Adelaide has been fined $420,000 after one of its students drowned during a school excursion.
In March 2021, a 16-year-old student of Pinnacle College drowned while rock fishing on a school excursion, after he jumped into the sea to rescue another student who had lost his balance and fallen off the rocks.
The investigation found the students of Pinnacle College were not provided with life jackets and non-slip shoes that were not considered necessary for the excursion.
Teachers supervising students during the excursion did not have any work health or safety training even though the school had identified rock fishing was a risk identified on the excursion permission slip.
In sentencing, His Honour Deputy President Judge Crawley noted that the risk of serious injury or death should have been obvious to the school.
Pinnacle College pleaded guilty in the South Australian Employments Tribunal (SAET) for breaches of the WHS Act.
The school has since reviewed their excursion policy and employed a work health and safety compliance officer.
The SAET convicted Pinnacle College and imposed an initial fine of $700,000, reduced to $420,000 following a 40 per cent discount for early guilty plea.
