Wednesday 17th February 2021

Safety News Roundup: Wednesday 17th February 2021

Welcome to our latest safety news update, published Wednesday 17th February 2021, covering two significant workplace incidents that highlight ongoing risks across Australian industries.

Gippsland Tip Operator Fined After Woman 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 of their waste.

The woman was unloading waste from her ute when she slipped and fell between two guard rails. She landed on the bottom of the skip, fracturing several ribs and injuring her spine.

The court heard no instructions had been provided on how to dispose of waste safely.

Towards Zero Pty Ltd pleaded guilty in the Sale Magistrates' Court on 11 February, admitting failure to ensure persons other than employees were not exposed to risks to their health and safety. This case underscores why businesses managing elevated platforms should review their workplace safety obligations regularly.

WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Julie Nielsen said, "Falls from heights are one of the biggest causes of injury and death in Victorian workplaces and these risks should always be taken seriously."

The full story can be found on the WorkSafe Vic website.

BOM Sued After Eleven Passengers Injured in Balloon Crash

A hot air balloon operated by Go Wild Ballooning (GWB) made an emergency landing in the Yarra Valley in 2018, causing eleven passengers to be injured.

A sudden wind change caused the balloon to shift course, sending it towards powerlines that forced the pilot to make an emergency landing.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report showed that passengers were not given an effective safety briefing before the flight.

ATSB has since taken legal action against Go Wild Ballooning for injuries sustained in the crash. GWB is now taking legal action against the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) over an incorrect weather forecast.

Go Wild filed the claim in the Victorian Supreme Court against the Commonwealth of Australia, seeking to make the federal government liable for damages.

Operators have now introduced new safety processes, requiring passengers to demonstrate the emergency landing position after boarding the balloon. This incident reinforces why organisations across every sector need robust safety briefing procedures before undertaking high-risk activities.

The full story can be found on the ABC News website.

Stay Updated With Our Safety News

Both incidents remind technical professionals across construction, manufacturing, and healthcare that safety protocols must remain a priority every single day.

For more industry news to date, browse our archive of previous updates, including Wednesday 17th March 2021 for the most recent developments in workplace safety compliance.

Check back regularly for latest updates and news on workplace safety incidents, regulatory changes, and best practice guidance relevant to your industry today.