New smoke alarm laws coming January 2022From 1 January 2022, QLD property owners/managers must install interconnected smoke alarms in residential rental properties.With a requirement to now fit interconnected alarms in every bedroom and hallways, when one alarm goes off, they will all go off, warning residents to evacuate. Even those who are sleeping a…
Are you a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU)? If so, it’s your duty to make an emergency plan. This includes an effective response to emergencies and testing the plan. You must also maintain the plan so that it’s always effective and arrange training for workers on the emergency plan and procedures in it.You’ll be able to keep eve…
Australia’s National Asbestos Awareness Week takes place between 22 – 26 November 2021, with the campaign asking Australians to Think Twice About Asbestos. The campaign reminds home renovators and tradespeople that the danger of asbestos is far from over and not to be complacent.Asbestos was banned in Australia in December 2003. Despite the Australian…
Looking through some of our positive reviews shows that buying online Health and Safety Documents really has some positive outcomes!We have chosen five of our top reviews to look at what positive benefits you might get from buying preprepared documents rather than trying to produce them yourself.1. Save Time"I have saved hours of time by using these do…
National Agriculture DayAgricultural days are celebrated annually in many countries to acknowledge the national contributions of those in the agricultural industry. From riding boundary fences on a remote cattle station to harvesting wheat in a combine-harvester, agricultural workers are the lifeblood of our communities.In 2021, Australians will celebr…
Do you know the laws for working on a ladder?
Workplace Health and Safety laws are there to keep us safe, but like most laws, they can sometimes be challenging to understand in their legal format.
For the newsletter this week, we decided to see what the regulations say about using a ladder at work. After all, the Acts and Regulations are the actual…
Do you need a list of Regulations and Codes of Practice for your state?
Keeping track of regulations and Codes of Practice can be difficult and time consuming. We’ve compiled an easy to use reference list which will allow our customers to have the most up-to-date references state by state.
You can find all the required information in one place w…
In this last week of Safe Work Month, we will be looking at health and safety hazards across the whole spectrum, including indoor and outdoor work. We revisited the National Safe Work Month theme for inspiration and determined that the key to managing health and Safety most effectively might be more holistic thinking.This years theme for National…
In the third week of supporting Safe Work Month, we will be focusing on workplace exposure to hazardous chemicals and dust. The Clean Air, Clear Lungs campaign is run by Safe Work Australia to raise awareness of occupational lung diseases.Are you at risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals and dust?If you're an employer, it's important to understand the…
In the second week of supporting
Safe Work Month, we will be focusing on the mental health of employees. Workplaces are not just physical spaces; they're also social and psychological environments that need to be risk assessed and managed.
What are the best ways for employers to take care of their workers' mental well-being?
The best way f…
October is
National Safe Work Month and the perfect time to take stock of your worker’s mental health. It’s also an excellent opportunity to make sure everyone in your workplace knows how important it is to be safe on the job.
The Safe Work Australia initiative will focus on a different aspect of Health and Safety each week, so for the ent…
Asbestos lawsuit filed against an employer.
A former plant operator who developed asbestosis and related illnesses, allegedly from his workplace, has filed a $1.7m lawsuit against his past employer.
The employee worked in factories in Newstead and Wacol between 1973 and 1979, where he alleged he was exposed to asbestos dust and fibre.…
Basic health and safety obligations not met - worker poisoned. Charges have been laid against a pest bait manufacturing organisation in New Zealand for an incident in May 2019, where a worker almost lost his life. The company that manufactures baits and pest control products was experiencing issues with the supply of sodium fluoroacetate (more co…
August is Tradie Health Month.
August is Tradie Health Month, and WorkSafe Victoria is providing tradies with free access to the right tools and resources to build physically and mentally safe work sites.
The WorkWell Toolkit is a free online tool that uses a step by step approach to promote mental health and prevent mental injury by offering supp…
Death of a residential care user left alone in the bath.
A company that provides community residential support services to people with intellectual disabilities has been sentenced over the 2016 death of an intellectually disabled person in their care.
Investigations by WorkSafe NZ into the incident found that adequate policies and procedure…
Drilling company fined for tragic workplace death.
A drilling company has been fined $375,000 for an incident in October 2017, where a worker was fatally crushed by a truck.
The young man had only been on the job for three weeks and was unsupervised working underneath a truck that was on sloping ground and not adequately stabilised when the inciden…
Gas appliance safety in the spotlight. Western Australia's gas safety regulator, Building and Energy, is running a campaign this winter on the importance of staying warm and safe by having gas heaters serviced regularly.It is recommended that gas appliances be serviced by a licensed gas fitter at least every two years or annually if the equip…
SA safety alert focuses on risks with excavation work.Following two separate incidents in two weeks involving collapsed trenches, SafeWork SA has released new information to help manage the risk of ground collapse associated with excavation work.The first incident occurred when a worker was removing earth from under and around existing services in prep…
Health and safety on forestry work sites essential.
According to WorkSafe New Zealand, a fatality at a forestry logging site could have been avoided if industry guidelines were followed.
In February 2019, a worker died at the scene after being struck by a log being hauled out of the valley at West Ho forest in Tologa Bay on a skyline cable.…
Improvements to transport safety identified in WorkSafe New Zealand report. A project between WorkSafe New Zealand and a cross-sector of industry representatives has formed with the joint outcome of improving health and safety practices across the Transport, Postal and Warehousing sectors.Data from WorkSafe shows that in 2019 in the Transport…
Raising awareness of farm safety for the next generation of farmers. WorkSafe Victoria urges farming families to prioritise safety and learn from the past during National Farm Safety Week. This year's campaign highlights intergenerational practices with 'Farm Safety Through the Ages - From 2 - 92'.As the agriculture industry con…
WorkSafe NZ highlights the importance of contractor management and detailed job planning. A worker was tasked with removing an elevated walkway at a quarry operation when he fell four metres to the ground. The incident occurred when he was removing bolts that secured the walkway to the structure. The walkway was partly held by a crane, which he as…
Pineapple farmworker killed after harvester hits powerlines. A 25-year-old man was tragically killed last Wednesday morning on a pineapple farm near Yeppoon when a harvester connected with overhead powerlines.The man was in critical condition and taken to the Capricorn Coast Hospital in Yeppoon but died shortly after. Six other people s…
$100,000 fine for demolition company after fatal wall collapse. A demolition contractor has pleaded guilty in the Ballarat Magistrates Court to one charge of failing to maintain a safe workplace following the death of a worker on a building site in Ballarat.In September 2019, the deceased, a director of the family-run business, pushed over a timbe…
Man survives timber house collapse. A man has survived a house falling on top of him as the bobcat he was driving was caught underneath it. The owner/builder and driver of the bobcat was lucky to escape uninjured as the timber home fell on the machine. It appears he had hired a pier jacking system to raise the home, and as he has removed some stu…
Findings released into bulldozer collision death. In 2019 a 47-year-old father of two was killed when a bulldozer collided with his utility at a mine in NSW.A report into the death has now been released to the public, recommending ways to better identify hazards and manage health and safety risks on site.Investigations by NSW Resource Regulator hi…
Mother and son killed in a tragic tractor accident. A coroner has deemed the deaths of a 33-year-old pregnant mother and her three-year-old son in a tractor crash a 'tragic accident'.The woman, an experienced tractor driver, was driving the tractor with her eldest child on the families beef and lamb farm in Otago, New Zealand, in October 2018…
Competent workers and direct supervision are a must when operating cranes. WorkSafe New Zealand has warned businesses that allowing staff without the appropriate training or supervision to operate cranes and other machinery is unacceptable.The warning follows a tragic accident in 2019 where an employee who was training to use an overhead …
Locomotive driver injured during sugar cane harvest. An employee has been injured in a shunting incident. The accident happened on Saturday afternoon near Camila in Queensland. It is believed the locomotive driver was trapped between the locomotive and a sugar cane bin while collecting a full rake of cane bins. It has been confirmed that he was no…
Quad bike law change not enough to prevent deaths. The decision to not retrofit mandatory roll bars on thousands of quad bikes has proven fatal as Australians continue to lose their lives in tragic accidents at a rate of one every two weeks. At least 164 people have died in quad bike accidents over the last decade.As most of those accid…
Latest evidence on preventing musculoskeletal disorders.
Four videos showcasing the latest evidence and systems thinking to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) have been published by Safe Work Australia.
The latest videos feature presentations from the Musculoskeletal Disorders Symposium, hosted by Workplace Health and Safety Qu…
Electrical shock while forming concrete slab. A worker was electrocuted while preparing to form up a concrete slab located next to an existing structure.The investigation into the incident is still underway; however initial enquiries indicate a sledgehammer was being used to drive a star picket into the ground to support the wooden framework. The…
EPA reviews demolition methodology for 65-year-old Batemans Bay Bridge. The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) reviewed the demolition methodology and control measures the construction project team implemented to demolish and remove the 65-year-old Batemans Bay Bridge. This review ensures any lead or other metals-based paint does not impac…
Man shot in the heart with a nail gun, lucky to be alive. A worker has been given $15,000 after a colleague accidentally shot him in the heart with a nail gun at a mattress and bed manufacturer based in South Auckland.In September 2019, a worker went to free a coil hose that connected his nail gun to the air supply line when the trigger was engage…
$90,000 fine after worker hit by forklift. An abattoir has pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court for failing to ensure all persons on site were not exposed to risks to their health and safety.A labour hire worker’s legs were crushed when a reversing forklift crushed him between the forklift and steel barrier as he was stacking cardb…
Trucks concrete pump explodes in Melbourne's CBD. Four workers were injured on a construction site on Bourke Street yesterday morning after a truck's concrete pump exploded.Emergency crews rushed to the site, where firefighters assessed multiple patients before transferring them into paramedics' care. It's understood a man in his 30's…
Charges laid over Forrestfield Airport Link Project injury. WorkSafe is prosecuting a subcontractor engaged on the Forrestfield Airport Link Project for failing to provide and maintain a safe working environment after an employee suffered serious injuries from a workplace accident near the Airport Central Station platform.In July 2018, three emplo…
NT WorkSafe inspectors prepare for 2021 show season. As the 2021 show circuit season approaches, NT WorkSafe inspectors from the Safety Assurance and Regulatory Compliance teams will be starting a month-long campaign to engage with engineers and ride operators to advise proactively, monitor, inspect and, where necessary direct compliance.Starting…
First-year electrical apprentice unsupervised on the job. An electrical company has pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court this week to one charge of failing to provide their employees with the necessary supervision to perform their work without risk to health safely.On 19 June 2019, a first-year apprentice was observed by two Energy Sa…
Conviction and fine after maintenance worker crushed. An employee at a food manufacturer suffered a traumatic incident undertaking maintenance work while a machine was in operation, resulting in the company being convicted and fined $125,000.The Dandenong Magistrates Court heard that in January 2019, the worker crawled under a conveyor in a l…
Cairns workplace incident leaves man crushed by forklift with serious injuries. A 38-year-old man is currently in a stable condition in Cairns Hospital after reportedly being crushed by a forklift at a Bentley Park business in a southern Cairns suburb.Emergency services, including a critical care unit, treated the man for head, facial,…
Plans for improved pool safety released by building regulator. Following a detailed review and consultation of Western Australia's regulatory requirements, a decision paper for private swimming pools and their safety barriers is in its final stages.Recommendations based on the Ombudsman Western Australia's investigation report on drowning deaths o…
$16,000 fine for unlicensed electrical contractor.
An unlicensed electrician who advertised an air-conditioning business on Facebook has been fined $16,000 in the Brisbane Magistrates Court.
The electrical contractor had never held an electrical contractor license or held an electrical work license authorising him to conduct business or pe…
Ninety-year-old women on an outing with a carer died after falling on a travelator. In February 2019, a ninety-year-old woman died shortly after falling on a shopping centre travelator during a supervised trip with a care worker. Shocking footage has emerged of the women who used a wheelie walker, losing her balance and falling backwards on a trav…
Gold Coast man tragically struck by forklift. Emergency services were called to a Gold Coast workplace on Wednesday night just after 7 pm. An elderly Burleigh Heads man was fatally involved in a forklift workplace incident.Paramedics assessed the man, who suffered critical injuries and died at the scene. A Workplace Health and Safety Queensland s…
Death of WA contractor in a workplace accident. Work has been suspended at the Silver Lake Resources' Daisy Milano gold mine after a man died while working underground yesterday morning.The accident happened in Western Australia’s Goldfields region, 50km south-east of Kalgoorlie and is being investigated by WorkSafe. A separate investigation into…
Tragic death in single-vehicle quad bike rollover. A women has died after becoming trapped under the quad bike she was riding on a rural property 60 km west of Dubbo.Emergency services rushed to the scene of the single-vehicle crash at 4 pm on Tuesday where paramedics worked on the 58-year-old women, but she died at the scene.Police are…
Worker dies in a horrific accident using a power tool. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland are investigating the death of a man in a workplace-related accident at a bowling alley in Brisbane’s southwest.The man, aged 59, was conducting construction work when he died at the scene in Richlands on Monday morning. Queensland Ambulance Service param…
New research into welding safety. Research by the NSW Government's Centre for Work Health and Safety is being embarked on to understand the effects of exposure to welding fumes by workers in welding industries and occupations in Australia.Due to a recent reclassification of welding fumes from 'possibly carcinogenic to humans' to 'carcinogenic…
Business director and operator charged over excavator fatality. A plant hire company has been charged after a 30-year old worker died from being struck by an excavator bucket in April 2019.The excavator was picked up from the plant hire business, by the worker on a truck and float (flatbed trailer). While helping to load the excavator, the w…
Construction site worker seriously injured from falling metal beam. A construction worker aged in his 50’s was struck by a large metal beam at a worksite in Sydney’s inner west on Wednesday.Emergency services were called to the site in Strathfield just before 8.45 am, with multiple crews working to transport the male worker into an ambulance.…
Painter convicted for subcontractors fall through skylight. A painter pleaded guilty to two charges in the Cobram Magistrates Court last Wednesday after the sub-contractor he engaged in painting two houses and two sheds fell through a polycarbonate skylight, landing on a metal cattle fence 5.5 metres below.The incident that occurred at Ulupna…
Working with livestock safety highlighted.A SafeWork SA compliance campaign focusing on the risks associated with livestock handling and transport will be commencing in June 2021.High-risk areas for people working with livestock can include sale yards, abattoirs, feedlots, cattle transportation, laneways, and on-farm sale related activities.Data f…
Royal Australian Mint charged over WHS Incident. Charges have been laid against the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra following an incident in the basement involving a three-tonne coin press almost falling on a worker.The coin press was being moved with a forklift when the press became unbalanced and fell. A worker standing nearby was narrowl…
Victorian workplace death toll rises to 19. There have been four workplace fatalities in just eight days in Victoria. The most recent incident resulted in the death of a 47-year-old factory worker.The man was struck by machinery at a factory in Dandenong South on Wednesday last week.It is believed he suffered a fatal head injury when an attachment…
Asbestos removalist immediate suspension of licence. On May 10th, SafeWork South Australia commenced proactive compliance audits on licensed asbestos removal jobs. Since the campaign started, an immediate suspension of a Class B asbestos removal licence was ordered for failure to remove asbestos from a property safely.It was identified by SafeWork…
SafeWork focus on snowfield workplaces as the ski season approaches. Snowfield operators and SafeWork inspectors have met at an industry roundtable to begin this year's NSW Alpine Ski Area safety compliance program. Topics of discussion covered the operation of passenger ropeways, including chairlifts, surface ropeways and gondolas.At the sta…
Worker injured at a western Sydney quarry when heavy equipment falls on him. A worker aged in his 40’s was injured on an industrial site when heavy equipment crushed one of his legs.The accident happened on Monday at the Boral Quarries in Emu Plains. Emergency crews rushed the man to hospital after it was reported his foot was trapped in rock…
Vehicle Safety Campaign focuses on Newcastle businesses. Beginning last week, the Safety Around Your Vehicle Compliance Project follows on from the recent launch of SafeWork NSW’s Safety Around Your Vehicle Glove Box Guide (PDF 1.2MB)Due to several serious accidents causing death that have occurred recently, the visits by SafeWork inspectors…
Advancing Qld farmers safety. The president of the Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF), Allan Dingle, has described working in the agricultural sector as one of the most dangerous due to the many hazards involved such as sun and heat exposure, chemicals, noise, dust, working with heavy plant and machinery, working alone or in remote locations…
Bellana company received multiple fines from EPA. A Benalla particle board manufacturer has been fined by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria more than $16,000 over multiple offences.The first fine was issued after a member of the public reported an explosion, which took place inside the facility on 3 November 2020. The second was…
Inspectors crackdown on Sutherland Shire construction sites. Over the next few days, SafeWork NSW inspectors will be targeting unsafe working systems across all building trades within the Sutherland Shire, from Sylvania to Engadine and Cronulla.These inspections are part of a state-wide crackdown on the industry, focusing on site housekeeping, hei…
Operator charged for 2019 amusement ride crash. NT WorkSafe has charged a Darwin amusement ride operator over an incident that injured two people on a sideshow alley ride at the Freds Pass Show in 2019.The injured people were passengers on The Octopus Ride, supplied and operated by the defendant, when one of the tension arms broke, causing the swe…
Company that failed to provide a safe workplace fined $120,000. Failing to provide a safe workplace which led to an avoidable accident, has landed a concrete company in court. The company was found guilty of not taking reasonable and practical steps to omit the risk of a collision between pedestrians and a powered mobile plant.Dandenong Magistrat…
Putting a stop to violence in the workplace. Workplace violence and the impact it has on workers can be physically and mentally devastating. Violent or aggressive injury claims from incidents in the workplace can range from verbal abuse and demeaning language, yelling, swearing and spitting to physical assault and gendered violence. Alt…
Engineering company fined for apartment block crane collapse. In August 2017, three workers were injured at a construction site in Wolli Creek when a tower crane collapsed into a building. A structural engineering company has pleaded guilty in the NSW District Court to breaching the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.The company was engaged to desig…
WA building company fined over workers death. A building company has been fined in the Bunbury Magistrates Court, over the death of a contract worker in 2017 in the southwest town of Yarloop.Of the five charges the company pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace which caused the worker's death was the most serious.Not ha…
Safety with asbestos a priority. SafeWork SA will commence proactive compliance audits of licensed asbestos removal jobs to ensure they meet the required regulations.Beginning on 10 May 2021, SafeWork SA will be taking the stance of no excuses for non-compliance with the safe removal of asbestos as the risks are clear; asbestos is carcinogeni…
Bin hire company fined by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has fined a company in Campbellfield, Victoria, for depositing waste at a site not licensed to accept it. EPA officers witnessed a tip truck from a bin hire company dumping the waste, a mix of construction and demolition waste.EPA officers are out in the community conduc…
Safety warning follows a spate of powerline incidents. WorkSafe is urging all employers and contractors operating trucks and other mobile plant near overhead power lines to ensure safety is a priority.Electrocution from contact with powerlines by mobile machinery can cause serious life-changing injuries and death and can occur on large constr…
Young farm worker tells story of surviving an electric shock. When Jason Daniels was 17, he suffered horrific injuries from an electric shock after the grain auger he was moving connected with an overhead power line in Dalby.Jason was placed in an induced coma for two weeks and faced a long road to recovery, including nine operations, skin gr…
Farm Safety honours closing soon. This year will be the first that the WorkSafe Awards have included a category for farming, with agriculture being one of the most dangerous industries to work in. Over the past three years, 24 people have died in on-farm workplace incidents. 424 people made workers compensation claims as a result of serious…
$48k bill for clean up after painters ‘disgraceful’ actions. A painter has pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Magistrates Court to three charges under the WHS Act for failing to protect workers and the general public from the risk of asbestos exposure.Labelled as ‘disgraceful’ by a local magistrate, the painter was charged after allowing a worker…
Elevating work platform safety standards raised. New industry standards for elevating work platforms (EWP) have been set by WorkSafe, providing practical safety advice to employers and operators to prevent further deaths and serious injuries.The new standard has been developed in consultation with Foundation for Safety Victoria. It covers EWP…
Charges laid over severe burns inflicted on young ringer in NT. A cattle mustering contractor has been charged with four breaches of the Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011, by NT WorkSafe after a 44-gallon Avgas drum exploded and left an 18-year old worker with severe burns.It is alleged the contractor and his work…
World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021. 28th April is World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Workers' Memorial Day. Today is a day of remembrance for those who have died from a work-related injury or illness and a day to focus on the importance of preventing work-related deaths from occurring.This year's theme for World Day for Safety a…
Rates of silicosis ‘spiralling’ with the popularity of artificial stone benchtops. Calls to ban the use of artificial stone are being considered as the product’s popularity has increased over the last two decades. Established two years ago to combat the rising levels of silicosis among workers, Australia’s National Dust Diseases Taskforce a…
Parks Victoria fined $100,000 over serious injuries. On Monday, Parks Victoria was issued a $100,000 fine after two men were seriously injured when riding motorbikes within a nature reserve.The incident occurred within Narrawong Flora Reserve in November 2018. The men were riding at estimated speeds between 70 and 80km/h when they struck two cable…
Building boom in Victoria leads to massive asbestos disposal challenge. Due to a building boom in Victoria, the challenge of removing and disposing of asbestos is tipped to rise from 178,000 tonnes handled annually to over 310,000 by the end of the decade, according to the state government’s latest Asbestos Disposal Management plan.Thanks to…
Worker tests positive for COVID-19 at Auckland airport. A day after quarantine free trans-Tasman travel restarted between New Zealand and Australia a fully vaccinated cleaner has tested positive for COVID-19 at Auckland airport.Australia’s Health Minister Greg Hunt has been briefed on the case by Australia’s top health officials and has compl…
Forklift owners and operators issued with Safety Alert. A new safety alert has been issued by NT Worksafe following two forklift incidents that occurred recently in the Darwin area.The Safety Alert reinforces and reminds forklift operators, workers, and owners of how to minimise the risk of injury from tipping over, especially with heavy and eleva…
Power Lines Hit by Crane. 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 12 April. Co-workers at the site of the accident rushed to help th…
NSW solar farm safety breach. The Electrical Trades Union of Australia has accused a construction company of “covering up” unsafe and dirty working conditions.Footage has been released of a shipping container being moved by crane above a lunchroom trailer at a NSW solar farm.Allegedly, the video shows the container angled above the lunchroom as wo…
WorkSafe VIC issue safety alert following death of plant operator. WorkSafe Victoria has issued a reminder regarding the risks associated with operating plant with inadequate guarding.The recent safety alert comes after a worker was fatally injured while operating a hay bale pressing machine.Entanglement or crush injuries are significantly increas…
Illegal asbestos waste dumping in New Zealand leads to clean-up bill. A New Zealand local council faces a significant clean-up bill after a 4 square meter pile of waste containing asbestos was illegally dumped near the Waimakariri River.Although the waste was packaged correctly for the hazardous substance, it was not disposed of in a licenced faci…
Fire eruption on Antarctic supply ship MPV Everest. The Antarctic resupply vessel the MPV Everest, operated by Dutch-based company Maritime Construction Services, has suffered a fire in the port engine room, destroying two inflatable rubber boats stored on the deck.The Australian Transport Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation, with the ship…
Adelaide playground exposed to asbestos material. On 23rd March 2021, Asbestos material was found by a child within mulch at an Adelaide kindergarten playground. Two further pieces of non-friable cement sheeting were also found by contractors.An Education Department spokeswoman stated, ‘the inspection was not able to identify the source of the mat…
Judges announced for National Safety Awards of Excellence.
The NSCA Foundation has released the list of experienced judges that will form their independent judging panel for the 28th National Safety Awards of Excellence.
Michael Charman will lead the judging panel; he has done so since 2018.
The National Safety Awards…
Worker crushed when dismounting from moving tractor. The Bowen Magistrates Court has fined a North Queensland produce company after one of their workers died in a workplace incident. The 37-year-old worker dismounted the moving tractor to restock the seedling trays when he became trapped under the wheel of the planter. He was later declared deceas…
Building sector has significant trade and product shortage. The ABC has reported that near-record new home approvals are putting intense pressure on supply chains and sparking construction delays within Australia's building sector.With the largest growth in 20 years, 13,527 new homes have been approved, which has seen a 91.8 per cent jump over th…
WorkSafe Victoria opens 2021 WorkSafe Awards Nominations.
WorkSafe Awards are a way to recognise individuals, teams and organisations that go above and beyond in workplace safety.
As a way to celebrate health and safety and return to work champions, share your safety story and be recognised for making a difference in workplace he…
NSW Government waiving licence fees. The New South Wales (NSW) government has announced they will be waving the fee to replace a range of licences and permits lost due to the recent floods.Asbestos Removal (Class A and B), Demolition (DE1 and DE2), High Risk Work licences, Security clearance, and Traffic Control Work Training are just a few o…
Forklift seriously injures worker at a Gympie business. A Gympie business has been fined $35,000 after a worker was seriously injured when a forklift was reversed into him. The incident occurred on 8 March 2019 when another employee backed the forklift into the worker, fracturing his legs.An investigation revealed the forklift's reversing indicato…
E-cigarette battery explodes inside worker's pocket.
In January 2021, a WA mine worker received severe thermal and chemical burns when his electronic cigarette battery spontaneously ignited in his pocket.A report on the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety website states that witnesses compared the explosion to 'fireworks going of…
WorkSafe issues safety alerts associated with mobile plant use. WorkSafe has issued a reminder about mobile plant risks after multiple recent incidents involving rollovers.The department has recently been notified of several incidents involving mobile plant rollovers at quarries. Fortunately, in all cases, the plant operators did not suffer any in…
Lack of processes resulted in serious injuries. The Woolworths Group Limited was successfully prosecuted by SafeWork South Australia after a bakery trolley fell onto a worker, causing serious injuries.The incident occurred in August 2018 when a worker was moving a full bakery trolley from the supermarkets’ bakery department.While walking backwards…
NSW flood effect residents exempt from waste levy.
Areas across New South Wales (NSW) have been declared Natural Disaster Areas due to floodwaters.
The NSW Government has announced the waste levy fee will be waived for residents disposing of flood generated waste.
"First the drought, then the fires, a global pandemic and now floods – our commun…
A Shed company and its director to be charged over a workers death. In March 2020, two workers fell from a shed roof. One of the men suffering fatal injuries, while the other man suffered multiple fractures. The workers were installing roof sheets on a farm when a strong wind lifted a sheet from the pack of roof sheets they were working near, caus…
Australia's longest gas pipeline life expectancy reduced. Australia's longest gas pipeline has had its expected lifespan slashed due to renewable energy that could make the business unviable decades ahead of schedule.Experts say that because of changes are underway in fossil fuel industries, the Dampier-to-Bunbury gas pipeline owners want to bring…
Tradies walk to raise money honouring lost workers.
A group of tradies, friends and family are walking to raise money for a memorial to honour those killed in workplace incidents. The walk comes on the third anniversary of two tradies tragically killed when a trench collapsed on the outskirts of Ballarat in 2018.
The 127-kilometre walk was st…
Fine issued after double leg amputation.
SafeWork SA successfully prosecuted a hay processing and exporting company after a 2017 incident in which a workers’ legs were amputated in a hay press.
The worker was attempting to dislodge a metal bale from behind a guardrail and fell approximately 3 metres onto a table below. The worker’s weight on th…
Department of Defence fined after worker critically injured. The Department of Defence pleaded guilty in the Townsville Magistrates Court to failing in its duties under the Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act 2011. Defence was convicted and fined $350,000.In August 2017, a worker was critically injured during an incident on the Royal Australia…
Local manufacturers to see a boost from the new $1.5 billion Government investment. The Australian Government has recently invested $1.5 billion into its Modern Manufacturing Strategy (MMS). The change will result in improved availability and safety of consumer goods.The investment is available to two of the six priority manufacturing sectors. Man…
Injured security guard to have repair work provided to his home after a brutal assault. In November 2017, a security guard employed by South Australia Police was violently assaulted while working as a protective security officer. Suffering a range of physical injuries to his hand, right shoulder and neck, the guard has undergone nine surgeries to…
Alcoa investigates potentially toxic leak at their Wagerup refinery.
An investigation is underway at Alcoa's Wagerup refinery after an incident occurred last Tuesday, causing seven million litres of potentially toxic material to leak from a tank.
There were no employees in the immediate vicinity at the time, and staff immediately commenced a c…
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, pro…
Double conviction after crane tipping incident. Following a crane tipping incident in 2017, a crane and rigging business and employee were charged by SafeWork SA.White Crane and Rigging Service and the employee both pleaded guilty In the South Australian Employment Tribunal (SAET) for breaches of their duties under the Act.The incident occurred in…
Road work accident leads to amputation. Two traffic controllers in Perth were injured earlier in the week when their work vehicle was hit by a passing SUV trapping them between their vehicle and a trailer.One of the workers suffered such severe injuries that doctors needed to amputate his right leg. The other man was treated for minor injuries to…
WorkSafe Victoria to focus on stamping out workplace sexual harassment. WorkSafe Victoria has commenced a campaign today to raise awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace. The aim is to educate employers on their responsibilities and encourage workers to call out unacceptable behaviour. The campaign will run across digital, print, radio and…
Legal action against Cleanaway for water pollution. Australia's leading waste management company, Cleanaway, has been charged with three offences from two spill incidents at its premises in Queanbeyan in May 2020.The EPA alleges that on the 14th and 15th May 2020, solvent leaked from the premises to a stormwater system that flowed into the Molong…
Multiple charges laid over tank container fire. An industrial equipment supplier has been charged by WorkSafe Victoria regarding a serious workplace incident at Derrimut.In May 2019, two workers using an oxy torch inside an ISO tank container were forced to evacuate when diesel residue ignited, causing a fire.The company allegedly breached four se…
Crane hire company charged over serious crush injury. A Darwin mobile crane hire company has been charged by NT WorkSafe over an incident where two workers were injured.In February 2019, the crane company was hired to transport and position an electrical switchboard into a newly constructed switchboard room at the Palmerston Police Station, Wester…
How mining companies can help reduce back injuries!
Experts reveal how mining companies can mitigate human vibration exposure and reduce back injuries while their workers operate plant on rough terrain.
For 10 years, human vibration exposure has been identified as one of the top five health hazards at mine sites, both by the number of workers…
Farmers urged to put safety first. Agriculture remains one of Victoria's most dangerous industries despite only employing about two per cent of its workers. Victorian farmers and workers make up about 14 per cent of the states annual workplace fatalities.In the past three years, 24 people have died in farm incidents, whilst 424 people working in a…
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 w…
New asbestos regulations to take effect in coming months. WorkSafe Queensland has announced that as of May 1, 2021, low-density asbestos fibreboard (LDB), also known as asbestos insulating board, will be classified as a friable material in all circumstances.With this new change, LDB can only legally be removed by a class A asbestos removal licence…
New COVID-19 fact sheet released for indoor workplaces. Safe Work Australia has released a new COVID-19 fact sheet on Improving ventilation in indoor workplaces.The fact sheet offers practical steps to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 while in an indoor workplace.Well-maintained heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems…
A freight train has collided with a multi-trailer truck in Kalgoorlie. Emergency services were called to the Yarri Road crossing at about 5:00 pm Monday after two freight train drivers aged in their 70s were involved in a collision with a road train. The drivers were flown to Perth, with one listed as being in critical condition and the other stab…
Man crushed by 250-kilogram rubbish chute. A worker suffered injuries after being crushed by a rubbish chute that dislodged at a Neutral Bay construction site last week. Paramedics treated the man for suspected leg, shoulder and rib injuries before transporting him to the Royal North Shore hospital.Inspector Dennis Bungener from the NSW Ambulance…
Multiple charges over apprentice jockey's death. WorkSafe has charged a turf club with six alleged breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to ensure people were not exposed to risks.A 22-year old apprentice jockey died when she was thrown from her horse when riding on a Cranbourne Racecourse track section on 30 August 2019…
Manufacturer fined after death of a bystander. A roof product manufacture has been fined $135,000 in an incident that resulted in a fatality.In February 2018, an employee drove a truck fitted with a loading crane through a housing estate when an outrigger extended, striking a parked van. The accident caused the van to be pushed backwards, running…
MPI New Zealand charged after workers sustain burns. New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) was sentenced at the Invercargill District Court on February 11th for failing to ensure workers were not exposed to hazardous chemicals.On behalf of MPI, biosecurity company, AsureQuality engaged OneStaff to provide temporary workers for the cl…
Gippsland tip operator fined after a woman was seriously injured. A tip operator has been convicted and fined $45,000 after a woman was seriously injured when she fell 2.5 metres into a skip bin in November 2018.Skip bins at the company's Kilmany Resource Centre were located beneath elevated concrete platforms where people could park and dispose o…
Roofing truss manufacturer fined $40,000. Melbourne Truss Pty Ltd was yesterday convicted and fined $40,000 due to a lack of fall protection at a Cranbourne North building site in October 2018.Dandenong Magistrates' Court heard a prime mover fitted with a loading crane delivered wooden roof trusses to a two-storey residential construction site.A n…
Ballarat hospital fined $20,000 after staff assault. Ballarat Health Services pleaded guilty in the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court for failing to provide information to employees to allow them to perform work safely and without risk to their health. On 2 August 2018, a female nurse at Ballarat Base Hospital was exposed to inappropriate, sexualised be…
Construction company charged over fall risk at correctional centre. The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions has alleged John Holland Pty Ltd failed in its duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 after a worker almost fell from a roof.On the 6th February 2019, a labour-hire employee was working on the roof of the maximum…
Truck driving increases the risk of physical and mental health problems. 1 in 5 truck drivers aged under 35 years reported severe psychological distress, and 54.3% of drivers are obese according to reports from the Monash University's Driving Health Study.Between September 2019 and May 2020, almost 1,400 drivers from all over Australia filled out…
Man suffers serious burns after fire at Adams Distillery. A man is in a critical condition after suffering partial and full-thickness burns to his hands, face and legs while mixing product using flammable liquids at the Adams Distillery at Perth, near Launceston. Just after 10:20 am Tuesday, multiple fire crews were called in to fight the blaze, T…
Young mother contracts silicosis after inhaling crystalline silica. A story reported by 9news highlights the dangers of working with respirable silica when an Australian mother-of-two has been left with a deadly lung illness after being exposed to silica dust. Silicosis is a form of lung disease caused by inhalation of silica dust. It is marked by…
Workers compensation fraudster caught while working. A mechanic was last week convicted after an investigation found he had fraudulently obtained workers compensation payments. The worker was placed on a 24-month community corrections order with a condition to perform 225 hours of community work.It was found that the man had been receiving injury…
Residents seek shelter from noxious fumes. On June 15, 2020, the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) was contacted by the Muswellbrook community after noticing a pungent smell.The smell appeared to immediately follow a blast which occurred at Muswellbrook’s Mount Pleasant Mine.Residents reported that they needed to seek shelter from the nox…
Fine issued after waste management company fails to comply. The Victorian Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has fined waste management solutions company Cleanaway Daniels Pty Ltd for failing to report a power issue that led to an incinerator bypassing standard air emission controls.The issue occurred at the Laverton North site on Doherty’s Rd…
Safety Alert to secure residential construction sites. NT WorkSafe has released a safety alert highlighting the dangers of unauthorised people accessing residential construction and demolition sites.The department has received multiple notifications regarding unauthorised access to where construction has stopped for long periods. The purpose of th…
New resources available for WHS duties. Safe Work Australia has developed new national work health and safety resources. To help prevent workplace sexual harassment, violence, aggression and domestic violence.The new guide: Preventing workplace sexual harassment is the first comprehensive WHS guidance in Australia to focus on preventing sexua…
Worker crushed to death and companies fined $750,000. Lightforce Asset Pty Ltd and Civil and Allied Technical Construction Pty Ltd were recently convicted and fined $750,000 after a worker was crushed to death by an industrial pile driver at a Port Augusta solar farm.On 17 February 2018, the worker modified changes to the hydraulic pile driver, wi…
Queensland resources companies will continue to limit non-essential FIFO travel until January 22 despite a three-day lockdown being lifted in Brisbane.
Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said 60 percent fewer workers will be travelling to regional Queensland this week, falling from the usual 3,500 people to under 15…
A 69-year-old man has been airlifted to hospital after being trampled by a cow in NSW Tuesday morning.The man suffered back and head injuries following the incident at his Salisbury Plains property. He was treated at the scene before being flown to Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital in a stable condition.Source: Australian Seniors News…
The NSW Resources Regulator has published an investigation information release on an incident on 30 November 2020 in which a worker sustained injuries when he was trapped in a crush point underneath a loader cab at Attunga Limestone Mine, near Tamworth.A detailed report on what transpired during that incident is included in the release. The Resour…
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland announces that the independent medical examinations (IME) panel tender is now open for access on the Queensland Government QTenders website.The IME panel is composed of medical professionals providing WorkCover with additional information or clarification on specific medical aspects of a worker’s injury, as well a…
A WorkSafe New Zealand programme, designed for Pacific workers, is celebrating its fifteenth year in 2021.The Puataunofo ‘Come Home Safely’ is a workplace health and safety education programme that focuses on providing health and safety messages to Pacific workers.Established in 2006, it aims to improve the health and safety of Pacific manufacturing wo…