Sydney Trains hit with fine for 2016 death

Charles Lagaaia died at Clyde Station on the morning of June 18, 2016 when he was hit by a train while removing clips after maintenance work.

The National Rail Safety Regulator duly brought a criminal case in August against Sydney Trains in the NSW District Court, with the transport operator pleading guilty to two charges of failing to ensure worker safety.

The regulator said Sydney Trains had failed to brief Mr Lagaaia and fellow signal mechanic Adam Weston on site safety - including which parts of the station were safe to traverse after maintenance.

Another six maintenance workers had also worked in the same overnight period for about 100 minutes without any form of track protection.

Sydney Trains was on Monday fined $375,000 in relation to Mr Lagaaia's death and $150,000 in relation to the six workers, totalling $525,000.

District Court Judge David Russell labelled the risk of serious injury "obvious, identifiable and foreseeable" and well known to Sydney Trains.

"Simple remedial steps were available which would have completely avoided the risk. The Signals Team should have been included in the work briefings, and they should have been informed which areas of the track were not protected from passing rail traffic," Judge Russell told the court.

He said Sydney Trains had acknowledged its criminal liability for Mr Lagaaia's death and empathised with his family, declaring "it would be understandable if the family thinks that the fines imposed are inadequate."

That rhetoric was echoed by the Electrical Trades Union, who welcomed the penalty but felt it should've been stronger.

"No fine can ever bring back the life of Charles Lagaaia, however in my view a larger fine could have helped deter companies from endangering workers by failing to implement and adhere to required safety rules," ETU assistant secretary Ben Lister said in a statement.

Australian Associated Press