CARPARK SAFETY: A CASE FOR INCREASING THE STANDARDS

摘要

Carparks can be hazardous environments due to their high level of vehicle and pedestrian activity. These dangers were highlighted recently, following the death of a man who accidentally reversed through a safety barrier in a hotel carpark in Sydney. The ensuing legal case and court ruling found that the carpark failed to comply with current Australian standards and that appropriate load bearing guardrails were not in place. In this incident, the hotel and council were both found to be negligent and the court ruled in favour of the plaintiff. The carparks metal perimeter railings, used for edge protection, failed to comply with Australian Standard AS 1170.1. The concrete wheel stops had also not been installed properly. Both factors contributed to the man's death.