A former Jetstar engineer has been unsuccessful in his claim of unfair dismissal after the Fair Work Commission found his actions in leaving two apprentices stranded on a work platform constituted a serious safety breach and justified his termination. The commission highlighted a pattern of inappropriate and potentially dangerous behaviour.
A former Jetstar engineer has lost his challenge against his dismissal following an incident where he allegedly left two apprentices stranded on a work platform several metres in the air.
The Fair Work Commission (FWC) decisively ruled in favour of Jetstar, finding that Jarrod Mcrae’s actions constituted a serious breach of workplace safety and justified his termination. The incident occurred within a Jetstar maintenance hangar while work was being carried out on a Boeing 787 aircraft. The two apprentices were positioned beneath the wing, utilising an elevated work platform to perform greasing maintenance approximately six metres above the hangar floor.
Mcrae, acting as their supervisor, initially requested to be lowered to the ground. After dismounting the platform, he is alleged to have moved away from the controls, and shortly thereafter, the platform unexpectedly shut down due to the activation of the emergency stop button. This left the apprentices in a precarious situation, unable to descend without assistance.
Evidence presented to the commission indicated that Mcrae was present on the hangar floor near the control panel immediately before the platform’s immobilisation, and one apprentice testified that Mcrae appeared to laugh before departing for lunch. The apprentices, understandably hesitant to escalate the situation directly with Mcrae, fearing repercussions, initially contacted another apprentice working in a different part of the hangar for help.
However, that colleague was also engaged in work at height and unable to provide immediate assistance. The pair remained stranded for approximately ten minutes until another worker discovered the situation and was able to restore power to the platform, safely lowering it to the ground. The FWC’s investigation revealed a pattern of behaviour from Mcrae that raised significant concerns.
With over two decades of experience in the aviation maintenance industry, but just over two years with Jetstar, Mcrae was described as having a tendency to “repeatedly inject himself” into the apprentices’ work, often coming across as “overbearing and antagonistic”. The commission found that Mcrae seemed to believe his role involved aggressively challenging junior staff, reflecting a diminishing and unacceptable attitude towards apprenticeships. This behaviour was likened to outdated and harmful practices of “apprentice hazing”.
The apprentices, the commission noted, simply wanted to perform their duties without feeling belittled or intimidated. The affected apprentice testified that the incident left him feeling unsafe and fearful of voicing concerns, fearing potential negative consequences, including physical retaliation, from Mcrae. The FWC unequivocally stated that there was no legitimate operational or safety-related reason to activate the emergency stop button. The commission characterised the action as unauthorised, reckless, and a clear safety risk.
Deputy President Thomas Clancy highlighted that Mcrae knowingly left the apprentices stranded and unable to descend independently, and furthermore, appeared to find amusement in their predicament. Mcrae attempted to defend his actions, claiming he pressed the button to facilitate communication over the noise of the equipment and simply forgot to reset it.
However, this explanation was dismissed after a practical test demonstrated that clear communication was possible with the platform operating normally. The commission concluded that Mcrae’s actions amounted to “horseplay” and a direct violation of workplace safety regulations. The investigation also uncovered a series of inappropriate comments made by Mcrae to one of the apprentices, including disparaging remarks about the current generation of apprentices.
While these comments alone would not have justified dismissal, they contributed to the overall picture of a hostile and unsafe work environment. Despite issuing an apology and accepting “full responsibility” during the investigation, the FWC was not convinced that the dismissal was unfair. Mcrae’s application for reinstatement and compensation was ultimately rejected, reinforcing the importance of maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for all employees
Jetstar Fair Work Commission Unfair Dismissal Workplace Safety Apprentices Emergency Stop Aviation Maintenance
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