Contractor admits guilt in Perth apprentice's fatal roof collapse
Perth contractor Elsdon admitted guilt in the 2020 death of 23-year-old apprentice Jonathan Hartshorn. He fell when a roof collapsed.
Jonathan Hartshorn was an apprentice carpenter. A steel roof structure at Curtin University's $110 million School of Design and Built Environment partially caved in on October 13, 2020.
Jonathan fell about 20 metres to the ground and died. Contractor Elsdon has now admitted guilt for the incident.
The company made faulty steel frames. It ignored required testing.
It employed no qualified welders. Elsdon faces a maximum fine of $2 million but no one will go to jail.
Hartshorn's death led to new industrial manslaughter laws in Western Australia. These laws now include jail time and fines for corporate negligence.
Why it mattersThis case shows how corporate negligence kills workers. It also shows why stronger accountability laws matter for site safety.
AustraliaThe death of a young Perth tradesman led to stronger industrial manslaughter laws in WA that now carry jail time, making it harder for contractors to escape serious consequences.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 d ago
