Monday 19th April 2021

Safety News Roundup: Monday 19th April 2021

This week's safety news covers two serious workplace incidents that highlight ongoing risks across Australian industries. A crane operator suffered electric shock after contact with overhead power lines, while SafeWork NSW raised alarm over food delivery rider safety following a fatal road incident.

Power Lines Struck by Crane on Mornington Peninsula

A truck driver received an electric shock when the boom of the crane he was operating struck overhead power lines. The driver was delivering timber to a building site at Drombana, on the Mornington Peninsula, when the incident happened at 8.20 am on Monday 12th April 2021.

Co-workers at the site rushed to help the driver after hearing a loud bang and applied CPR until ambulance crews arrived.

The driver, aged in his 60's, was taken to the Alfred Hospital. His condition was not known at the time of press. Police are investigating the incident, and it's believed WorkCover will investigate also.

View the original article on the Mornington Peninsula News website.

Over 70 Food Delivery Riders Injured in NSW Within a Year

In one year in NSW, over 70 food delivery riders suffered serious injuries. SafeWork NSW has warned companies such as UberEats that their workers, often on student visas, face significant injury risk due to insufficient training.

In documents tabled to NSW Parliament, 74 "serious notifiable injuries" were recorded in 2020 alone. Regulators also outlined concerns regarding overuse of overseas students by food delivery service HungryPanda.

Investigators observed that HungryPanda riders using motorcycles operate on international student visas, often riding with overseas licenses, without adequate instruction, information or training to understand risks associated with their work or to operate safely.

Facing serious risk on the state's roads, documents show a rider killed on September 24, 2020, was wearing an "unapproved helmet" and had not received adequate training regarding motorcycle operation for commercial purposes. SafeWork's notice said the rider was struck by a vehicle he had failed to give way to.

Chair of the inquiry said Uber held a "ghastly safety record," expecting UberEats' general manager and head of driver operations to explain this when they appear before an NSW Parliamentary inquiry into technology's impact on workers.

Read the full story on the Sydney Morning Herald website.

Building a Culture of Safety Compliance

Both incidents underscore why robust safety documentation and training remain critical across construction, delivery, and logistics sectors. Employers should ensure workers, regardless of visa status or employment type, receive comprehensive induction and risk training before commencing hazardous work.

For more workplace safety updates, catch up on our previous roundups for Monday 24th May 2021 and Monday 31st May 2021.