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”
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”
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”
Further to the posting about John Holland Group’s failed bid to the High Court of Australia, WorkSafe Victoria has issued a media statement on the case which indicates what will happen in Victoria: “WorkSafe charged John Holland Pty Ltd in relation to an October 2006 safety incident associated with the transport of concrete panels for … Continue reading “WorkSafe’s take on John Holland’s High Court failure”
Dr Geoff Dell of Protocol Safety Management and a prominent member of the Safety Institute of Australia (SIA), believes that the most crucial issue facing the safety profession in Australia is the lack of the requirement to use a “suitably qualified” safety adviser. The Australian Government was recommended to include such a requirement in its draft OHS model … Continue reading “Safe Work Bill, suitably qualified and professional plans”
The person, Sir John Holland, died in May 2009. The company, John Holland Group (JHG), is in danger of a shortened life if it continues to make bizarre decisions. John Holland Group has been widely criticized by the union movement, principally for its decision to jump out of State OHS jurisdictions to the Commonwealth (Comcare) structure. This was seen … Continue reading “Who is advising John Holland?”