Jetstar Engineer Loses Unfair Dismissal Case Over Apprentice 'Hazing' Incident
The Fair Work Commission has ruled that a senior Jetstar engineer was rightly dismissed after an incident where he left two apprentices stranded several meters in the air by activating an emergency stop button during maintenance work. The industrial umpire found Jarrod Mcrae's actions constituted unauthorized and reckless behavior in a safety-critical environment.
Incident Details and Safety Breach
In mid-2025, inside a Jetstar maintenance hangar where crews were working on a Boeing 787, two apprentices were carrying out maintenance beneath the aircraft's wing on an elevated work platform approximately 6 meters above the hangar floor. Senior engineer Jarrod Mcrae, who had been supervising them, asked to be lowered to the ground and stepped off the platform.
After moving away, the apprentices raised the platform again to continue their greasing work. Moments later, the equipment shut down completely when the emergency stop button was activated, cutting power to the platform and leaving the pair stuck with no independent means of descent.
The commission accepted evidence that Mcrae was on the hangar floor at the time and was seen near the controls before walking away. One apprentice recalled that Mcrae allegedly appeared to laugh before leaving the area for lunch, abandoning the junior workers in their precarious situation.
Stranded Workers and Delayed Rescue
With the platform immobilized, the apprentices called for help. One worker told the commission he avoided contacting Mcrae directly because he "did not want to make a scene or add fuel to the fire," instead calling another apprentice working elsewhere in the hangar.
Unfortunately, that colleague was also operating equipment at height and could not provide immediate assistance. The stranded pair remained in their dangerous position for approximately 10 minutes before another worker entered the hangar and was able to restore the system and lower the platform to safety.
Commission Findings and Safety Violations
Fair Work Commission Deputy President Thomas Clancy found there was "no operational reason" and "no safety-related reason" to activate the emergency stop button. The commission described Mcrae's move as unauthorized and reckless, stating: "It was unauthorized; (the apprentices) were 'stuck' as a result and unable to get down independently, he knew, or ought to have known that his actions were a potential safety risk and, yet, laughed."
Mcrae argued he had pressed the button so he could speak to the apprentices over the noise of the equipment and had simply forgotten to reset it. This explanation was rejected after testing showed workers could communicate clearly with the platform still running. The commission concluded his actions amounted to "horseplay" in breach of workplace safety rules.
Pattern of Behavior and Workplace Culture
With 23 years' experience in the industry and just over two years at Jetstar, the commission found Mcrae had a tendency to "repeatedly inject himself" into the apprentices' orbit, coming across as "overbearing and antagonistic." The tribunal noted he appeared to believe it was his role as a senior worker to push junior staff, effectively trying to "ride [him] hard."
The commission examined a series of separate interactions between Mcrae and one of the apprentices, including alleged comments such as "you are all p**sies now, it's ridiculous, back when I was an apprentice, we used to cop all sorts of abuse." While these incidents were labeled inappropriate, the commission stated they would not have justified dismissal on their own.
Impact on Apprentices and Workplace Safety
The commission noted this case reflected an "ever-decreasing minority that still thinks apprentice hazing is funny and something that should just be accepted," finding the apprentice instead "just wanted to do his job" and was left feeling belittled.
One apprentice said the platform incident left him shaken: "It made me feel like coming to work was unsafe for me and that I should not voice my concerns in fear of being negatively perceived by him and others. I fear/feared that he may take physical action against me for speaking up against him."
Dismissal Upheld and Final Ruling
The commission determined that leaving two junior workers stranded several meters above ground in a "safety-critical" environment had the potential to cause serious harm and was a valid reason for termination. On the day of his dismissal, Mcrae pushed back on the allegations, claiming much of the case against him was "lies and stories that have been misconstrued and flipped around."
Mcrae said he "was hoping someone could see through all the lies and make a judgment call to give me another chance." He issued an apology during the investigation, saying "I sincerely apologize for my behavior..." and taking "full responsibility" for his actions, but the commission was not persuaded the dismissal was unfair.
The industrial umpire ultimately found Mcrae breached safety rules by engaging in 'horseplay' that left two apprentices stranded meters above the ground during maintenance work. His application for reinstatement and compensation was dismissed, upholding Jetstar's decision to terminate his employment over the serious safety violation.
