Legal consequences of safety failings
09 April, 2009During the month of April, several major workplace health and safety cases will be before Victorian courts as WorkSafe ramps up its campaign to reduce preventable deaths and injuries.
Workplace safety threatened by bullying
20 March, 2009Safety in the workplace is under threat as bullying increases, warns the unions.
Client legal privilege issues in managing and investigating safety incidents — Part 3
12 December, 2008 by Katherine Morris*We conclude the three-part series by looking at how privilege can be jeopardised by the actions of external lawyers and organisations involved in the incident. It is vital that procedures are put in place within an organisation to ensure that privilege is maintained and not expressly or impliedly waived.
Crucial High Court decision on OHS appeal
18 November, 2008After a lengthy appeals process, a High Court decision has cleared the way for two significant safety prosecutions in South Australia to proceed.
Client legal privilege issues in managing and investigating safety incidents — Part 2
14 November, 2008 by Katherine Morris*In part 2, we look at issues concerning legal advice in relation to a safety incident, and look at ways to control internal investigations and documentation to maintain legal privilege.
Client legal privilege issues in managing and investigating safety incidents — Part 1
13 October, 2008 by Katherine Morris*This is the first article in a three-part series that discusses the matter of client legal privilege in the context of managing and investigating safety incidents and outlines practical issues surrounding it.
Public to have say on Model OHS Laws
04 June, 2008The National Review into Model OHS Laws is now open to public review, with any interested persons invited to write a submission before 11 July 2008.
OHS laws under review
15 April, 2008The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Julia Gillard, has announced a national review into model OHS Laws.
The legislation for 'rogue employers'
07 July, 2005On 10 June 2005, the Occupational Health and Safety (Workplace Deaths) Bill 2005 (NSW) (Workplace Deaths Bill) completed its passage through both houses of the New South Wales Parliament
Formaldehyde causes cancer
11 June, 2005The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has ruled that the common chemical formaldehyde is a carcinogen.
Spinal injury from workplace incident
29 May, 2005Tieman Industries has been fined $275,000 by the NSW Industrial Relations Commission sitting in Court Session following a workplace incident that led to the permanent disability of a worker.
Risk was forseeable
21 April, 2005A Sydney manufacturer has been fined $208,000 by the NSW Industrial Relations Commission sitting in Court Session following the death of a young worker at its Revesby factory in 2001.
Low level falls can kill
09 March, 2005A company has been fined the Magistrates' Court's jurisdictional limit of $100,000 after a workplace death at the Sportsgirl shop at the Southland Shopping Centre.
Mine found guilty over disaster
17 January, 2005The owners and operators of a Hunter Valley colliery have been found guilty of safety breaches that led to the deaths of four miners in the Gretley disaster almost eight years ago.
Saliva tests for drivers
14 January, 2005Victorian police will start using saliva swabs to randomly test drivers for drugs. Police will test drivers for traces of cannabis and methamphetamine, known as 'speed' and used by long haul road transport drivers to stop them falling asleep at the wheel.
