St Basil’s Home for the Aged has been convicted and fined $150,000 over workplace safety failures during a devastating COVID-19 outbreak at its Fawkner facility in Victoria in 2020.
The outbreak began in July 2020 when the first case was confirmed on July 9. Within days, widespread infection was detected after all residents and staff were tested. In the weeks that followed, 45 residents died from COVID-19-related complications, while dozens of staff members were also infected.
WorkSafe Victoria initially laid nine charges under occupational health and safety laws. However, after extended discussions, St Basil’s pleaded guilty to a single charge relating to whether five staff members had received adequate training and instruction on how to correctly put on and remove personal protective equipment (PPE). The remaining eight charges were withdrawn.
The Victorian County Court found the aged care provider had failed to properly train and supervise the workers during the early stages of the pandemic. At the time, the facility housed more than 90 residents and employed around 110 staff.
In sentencing today, the court acknowledged the case had taken more than five years to resolve and noted that St Basil’s has since strengthened its systems and procedures.
In an earlier statement, St Basil’s said the organisation has undergone “a complete renewal of Board oversight and senior management,” adding that governance and day-to-day operations are now significantly different from those in place during the 2020 outbreak.
A separate coronial inquest examining the deaths of residents remains ongoing.
