Finally, a State-based safety awards night that has both OHS and Return-to-Work awards. On 27 October 2009, Workplace Health & Safety Queensland held its annual safety awards night as part of Safe Work Australia Week. In a media release, the Minister for Industrial Relations, Cameron Dick, said “The inaugural Return to Work Awards are run by Q-COMP – the statutory authority that … Continue reading “Combining safety and RTW awards”
In OHS law in Australia, the employer/employee relationship is dead or, at least, coughing up blood. OHS law is to be based on “people conducting a business or undertaking” (PCBUs have been discussed briefly elsewhere) and not a worker working in a workplace, even though the recently changed industrial law, the Fair Work Act, maintains this relationship. This morning … Continue reading “OHS – time to grow up or get locked in the attic”
This morning in Melbourne, WorkSafe Victoria conducted a three-hour seminar on the harmonisation of Australia’s OHS laws. The speakers and panelists were John Merritt of WorkSafe, Tracey Browne of the Australian Industry Group and Cathy Butcher of the Victorian Trades Hall. Tripartism at its best. The large auditorium was filled with hundreds of attendees, very few were the familiar faces of … Continue reading “Australian Standards and OHS harmonisation”
The last week of October 2009 is Safe Work Australia Week. The federal OHS authority sets an overall framework for the States’ OHS promotional activities. A media statement in support of the week, reiterated the statistics – “More than 260 Australians die as a result of work related injuries and over 135,000 are seriously injured … Continue reading “Safe Work Australia Week 2009 begins”
The Northern Territory’s WorkSafe authority issues safety alerts infrequently so each new one is worth considering. The alert released on 20 October 2009 concerns dust in exposed switchboard installed in remote locations. The alert is worthy of attention for several reasons but one is that electrical work in isolated locations can often be less safe than similar tasks closer to … Continue reading “Dusty switchboard safety alert”
On 22 October 2007, a commercial premise in Southbank, Victoria, was to undergo renovations which included replacing the asbestos roof with an iron roof. Two men were employed as project managers and during the roof replacement, according to WorkSafe Victoria. “…the dogman fell [through an unguarded shaft] a total distance of 8 metres and as … Continue reading “Prosecution results from fall through roof”
The Ambulance Service of Victoria, Australia reported the injury to a roadside worker on 19 October 2009. Below is part of their report: A road worker is in a serious condition after being hit by a car in a road works area this morning. Advanced life support paramedics from Jackson’s Creek were called to Derby … Continue reading “Road worker seriously injured at worksite”