Monday 1st March 2021

Failure to dispose of waste results in a man being fined $10,000. 

A man has been fined $10,000 and ordered to pay over $4000 in court costs for not correctly disposing of industrial waste. The man was also ordered to clean up the waste by 18 August 2021 to prevent further penalties.

The charges relate to placing industrial waste at a premise that was not licensed to do so and a failure to comply with a Clean Up Notice requiring him to remove the waste for proper disposal.

EPA North West Regional Manager Dr Scott Pigdon said, 'EPA takes a zero-tolerance approach to the illegal dumping of waste' and that 'Illegal stockpiling of waste is an unacceptable hazard, and any landholder has a duty to understand their responsibilities to the environment and the community.'

The full release can be found on the EPA website.

Psychosocial risk assessment tool, 'People at Work launched' in Australia. 

On 26 February 2021, 'Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities' Chair Martyn Campbell launched a free digital platform dedicated to mentally healthy workplaces.

The tool, known as 'People at Work', helps organisations identify, assess, and control psychological health and safety risks.

Mr Campbell said, 'Workplaces have a duty to protect the psychological health of workers in the same way they protect their physical safety.'

People at Work is now a much more user-friendly digital platform, allowing Australian businesses and workplaces to identify and manage work-related psychosocial hazards and factors, which doesn't need an expert to interpret the risks assessment results.

The platform has an easy to follow five-step process with resources, interactive learning modules, a self-administered survey and automated custom reports.

To check out the platform, you can click on People at Work link.

More information can be found on the WorkSafe QLD website.