Industry News
Victoria introduces ‘high risk’ licence
Victorian operators of forklifts, cranes and other high risk equipment, as well as those working in occupations under ‘Certificates of Competency’ or ‘tickets’, need to switch to the new ‘Licence to Perform High Risk Work’.
[ + ]NSW shuts out specialised workers compensation insurers
The NSW government has announced that the state’s workers compensation system is now closed to any specialised workers compensation insurers.
[ + ]Queensland appoints mine inspection staff
The Queensland government has recently appointed four new mines inspection staff to help strengthen and improve the safety and health performance of the mining industry.
[ + ]Novel penalty chosen for safety breaches
A Geelong company has chosen novel penalty options to atone for workplace safety breaches, agreeing to announce what it did wrong in a newspaper advertisement.
[ + ]$200k fine for forklift fatality
A Victorian company was convicted and fined $200,000 for workplace safety failings which caused the death of a forklift driver.
[ + ]Innovative man overboard system receives $1.3m award
The Perth-based inventor of an innovative failsafe man overboard alarm system, Mobilarm, will be significantly accelerating the commercialisation of its technology after being awarded a $1.3 million 'Commercial Ready' grant from the Australian Department of Industry Tourism & Resources.
[ + ]Malaga worker death under investigation
WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death of a 22-year-old apprentice cabinet maker at a furniture factory in Malaga last Friday.
[ + ]Dandenong business guilty of return-to-work offence
Playground equipment manufacturer, Playspace Playground, pleaded guilty to failing to provide an injured employee with his pre injury position as required under Victoria’s workers compensation legislation.
[ + ]Free service aids return to work
Returning to work after injury could become a less arduous process with the launch of an online resource containing up-to-date advice and research on return to work issues.
[ + ]Candy maker fined for unguarded machine
An Osborne Park manufacturer of rock candy was fined $20,000 for failing to provide a safe workplace after a worker’s finger was severely injured in an unguarded machine.
[ + ]Inspectors targeting working at height
WorkSafe Victoria’s February crackdown on dangerous work at height on housing and small to medium construction sites will continue through to the end of March.
[ + ]WorkCover warns of dangers of powerlines when pumping concrete
WorkCover NSW recently issued a safety alert to warn of the dangers of powerlines when pumping concrete, following an incident where the operator of a concrete-placing boom received a serious electric shock when the boom came into contact with 22 kV overhead powerlines that crossed over the construction site. The work was being carried out in almost dark conditions in a fogbound area, where the overhead powerlines were unsighted.
[ + ]Danger money for hazardous workplaces
One third of employees believe their work equipment is hazardous but more than a quarter would compromise their health for danger money, a new survey shows.
[ + ]Tilt-up national code declared
The National Code of Practice for Precast, Tilt-up and Concrete Elements in Building Construction was declared by the Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) at the end of February 2008.
[ + ]Company fined for collapsing home on owners
A Melbourne re-stumping business, Brother Nguyen, has been fined $15,000 by the County Court for breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
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