Federal Government safety regulator, Comcare, is pursuing the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) over the deaths of two members of the public who had crashed while driving on one of its maintenance access roads.
Comcare has alleged that the vehicle struck a concrete pillar on a bridge over the Wakefield River - a popular shortcut for locals - causing the vehicle to fall seven metres off the unprotected edge of the bridge. The vehicle landed on a dry river bed.
Comcare filed the matter in Federal Court on Friday.
The regulator’s general manager of work health and safety Neil Quarmby said employers had a duty to the general public to ensure that workplaces were safe at all times.
According to a report by newspaper The Adelaide Advertiser , the pair had been at a local hotel hours before the accident.
ARTC faces a potential fine of $242,000 over the incident.