Death at JCU puts company in limbo

LICENCE suspensions remain in place for a Portsmith airconditioning company almost two months after a worker fell to his death at James Cook University.

Alphacool was forced to suspend operations after 40year-old father Sol Fagan fell 7m while installing air ducts at the JCU library in August.

A Queensland Building and Construction Commission spokesman said suspensions would remain at least until investigations in Mr Fagan’s death were completed.

“The QBCC takes workplace safety issues very seriously, which is why we suspended the licence of MC Holdings Pty Ltd (trading as Alphacool) with immediate effect on August 21,” he said.

“The licence suspension remains in place, which prohibits the company from working on building sites in Queensland.”

A number of safety-related conditions must be met by the company before the QBCC would consider lifting the suspension.

“The thrust of these conditions require the company to have appropriate safe systems of work in place that comply with the requirements of the Workplace Health and Safety Act,” the QBCC spokesman said. “The findings of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland’s current investigation will be considered in any future action taken by the QBCC.”

A WHSQ spokesman said the investigation was ongoing.

A Gofundme page for Mr Fagan’s family has raised more than $20,000.

The Cairns Post contacted Alphacool managing director Marty Wittebol for comment.