Friday 12th March 2021

CSIRO to spend $1.5 million on safety improvements. 

In June 2017, an explosion occurred at a CSIRO laboratory when an experiment involving sawdust was heated at pressure using hydrogen gas in an autoclave.

The researcher involved sustained minor injuries when the gas leaked from the autoclave and ignited. The building suffered extensive damage, propelling debris more than 20 metres into a garden area.

Comcare investigated the explosion at the Clayton laboratory. It is alleged CSIRO breached the Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) with failures relating to the work environment, systems of work, plant and the provision of information and training.

Over the next 18 months, CSIRO will spend $1.5 million on workplace health and safety improvements after entering into an enforceable undertaking with Comcare.

Read the full media release on the Comcare website.

Concrete supplier fined $23K by EPA NSW. 

A concrete supplier ,has been fined by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for an alleged water pollution incident and allegedly failing to operate control equipment properly and efficiently.

In response to community concerns over dirty water pollution from the plant, the EPA inspected the concrete batching plant at Kincumber on 19 October 2020.

EPA officers found evidence of incorrect wastewater control during their investigation.

A $15,000 penalty for alleged water pollution and an $8,000 penalty for allegedly failing to operate control equipment properly was issued by the EPA.

The original story can be found on the EPA NSW website.