The last week of October each year is Safe Work Australia Week. This theme is enacted in each State with their own resources and events. WorkSafe Victoria is one of the more active of the state regulators and 2009 seems no different. On 13 September 2009, WorkSafe Victoria will launch a new campaign of graphic … Continue reading “New safety campaign – making the invisible visible”
Comcare has instigated a hefty list of enforceable undertakings (EU) against John Holland Rail (JHR) after a contractor, Jack Wilmot, needed a finger amputated after a workplace injury. According to the report on the Comcare website “…an apprentice boilermaker was involved in an incident which resulted in crush injuries to his left index finger at … Continue reading “Finger injury causes hefty new safety agenda for John Holland Rail”
The New Zealand of Department of Labour is continuing its negotiations on new exposure levels for formaldehyde. The latest proposed exposure levels for formaldehyde are 0.3 ppm (8 hour TWA) and 0.6 ppm (STEL). Currently the levels in New Zealand are 1ppm (ceiling). According to US OSHA, it’s exposure standard is 1910.1048(c)(1) TWA: The employer shall assure … Continue reading “NZ proposes new exposure levels on formaldehyde”
On 1 September 2009 there were early reports that “… a man died at Stanhope in northern Victoria when a one-tonne bag of salt fell from a stack and crushed him at a cheese factory.” Further details were revealed in a media report on 4 September 2009. The media officer for WorkSafe, Michael Birt, discussed the … Continue reading “Man crushed by unstable stack”
WorkSafe Victoria is very keen for the safety advice and management discipline to become professional. It is providing considerable technical and financial support to the Safety Institute of Australia and other members of the Health and Safety Professionals Alliance (HaSPA). The current status of HaSPA in Australia has been discussed in other SafetyAtWorkBlog articles. HaSPA … Continue reading “An Ombudsman for the safety profession”
WorkSafe Western Australia has two documents currently open for public comment. One concerns a draft code of practice for the prevention of falls from commercial fishing vessels. The other may have a wider appeal as it is a draft code of practice for the prevention and control of Legionnaires’ disease. The man overboard code … Continue reading “Public Comments – Fishing and Legionnaire’s”
Recently SafetyAtWorkBlog reported on a new WorkSafe Victoria guidance on guarding cellar doors. Comcare has started legal action against a company a similar hazard but one located in public. Comcare has instigated proceedings against Australia’s leading telecommunications company, Telstra, for an unguarded pit in a public area. According to the media release dated 19 August … Continue reading “Uncovered holes”