New and Updates from Proactive Compliance January 2025
NEWSLETTER - January 2025
SAFETY NEWS
Construction border blitz inspects dozens of Mildura sites
WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW inspectors have identified dozens of hazards on Mildura construction sites during a week-long blitz on both sides of the border.
The two regulators conducted a joint operation from 18-22 November – visiting 36 building sites in Mildura and the surrounding area.
WorkSafe inspectors issued 22 improvement notices during 22 site visits, including 10 addressing site security issues, seven for inadequate facilities, two for electrical issues, two for housekeeping and one for not having a coordination plan. Inspectors also identified hazards that were able to be immediately addressed, including electrical meter box security and a scaffold issue.
Healthy Minds, Safer Sites: NSW Government working to improve psychological wellbeing in construction
The Minns Labor Government is undertaking a campaign across New South Wales construction sites to improve psychological health and safety at work.
Known as the ‘Healthy Minds, Safer Sites’ campaign, inspectors are providing advice and resources to manage psychosocial hazards. These include aspects of work and situations that may cause a stress response, which in turn can lead to psychological, and sometimes physical harm.
The initiative forms part of the New South Wales Government’s Psychological Health and Safety Strategy 2024-2026 plan which is backed by $5.6 million over the next two years to deliver workplace mental health programs.
WorkCover partnership helps electricians stay strong
As part of our Injury Risk Reduction Initiatives, WorkCover Queensland has partnered with Master Electricians Australia to help electricians protect themselves against musculoskeletal strain.
Musculoskeletal injuries are a common type of injury experienced by electricians, and can lead to chronic issues over time. These injuries can impact day-to-day wellbeing, shorten careers, affect productivity, and increase medical costs.
WorkCover collaborated with Master Electricians and Back on Track to produce a series of five videos that aim to reduce workplace injuries, improve productivity and enhance the overall physical health of electricians.
New laws and record numbers of compliance notices as safety regulator targets high-risk industries
New laws to better protect South Australia’s workers, a record number of statutory notices issued and a safety blitz targeting high-risk industries.
Along with improved evidence collection at incident scenes and wide-ranging educational activities, these are some of the highlights of the SafeWork SA 2023-2024 Activity Report, released today.
The report shows the regulator ramped up compliance actions compared to the 2022-2023 financial year
Worker exposed to risk of serious injury while refuelling petrol-powered water pump
The Resources Regulator has published an Investigation information release after a worker was exposed to risk of serious injury while refuelling petrol-powered water pump that ignited at Glenella Quarry, near Cowra on 25 November 2024.
A worker drove to a dam in the northwest corner of the quarry to refuel a petrol-powered water pump. The worker turned off the motor and, after taking a short break, began refuelling the pump using petrol in a fuel container.
During this process, the nozzle fell out of the fuel container cap causing an uncontrolled release of petrol onto the water pump. The pump ignited, and the worker used a nearby loader to dump a bucket of crusher dust on the pump and surrounding area, extinguishing the fire.
Worker suffers serious injuries while working under truck trailer
The Resources Regulator has published an Investigation information release after a mechanic suffered serious injuries while working under a truck trailer at the Possum Brush Quarry, south of Taree on 3 December 2024.
The mechanic suffered multiple serious injuries to their collarbone, ribs, pelvis and leg when a truck trailer they were working underneath rolled onto them.
The Regulator has commenced an investigation to determine the cause and circumstances of the incident. Workers and operators have also been issued several safety reminders relating to uncontrolled mobile plant movement.
PROSECUTIONS
Company charged for staircase risk to workers with disability
Ability Works Australia Ltd faces two charges under section 21(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace.
WorkSafe alleges the company breached section 21(2)(a) of the OHS Act by failing to provide a safe system of work to prevent workers with mobility or vision.
Impairment accessing the staircase from the break room at its Kew workplace.
It is also alleged the organisation breached section 21(2)(e) of the OHS Act by failing to provide necessary supervision to enable employees to work safely.
$50,000 fine after worker's fingers stuck in machine
Cryoquip Pty Ltd was sentenced without conviction at the Dandenong Magistrate's Court on Tuesday 10 December after pleading guilty to two charges of failing to provide a safe workplace.
The company was fined $30,000 for failing to provide a safe system of work for employees, and $20,000 for failing to provide and maintain safe plant.
Cryoquip was also ordered to pay $4,000 in costs.
Company charged after worker fatally impaled
The 55-year-old man died when the fork attachment of a telehandler impaled him during the construction of a metal framed roller door at the workplace.
Boyd Industries Pty Ltd is facing three charges under section 23(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to ensure that people other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks.
WorkSafe alleges the company failed to reduce, so far as was reasonably practicable, the risk of serious injury or death from the telehandler, its load, or any attachment coming into contact with a person.
Company fined $350,000 after fatal gate crush
Gate Automation Systems Pty Ltd was sentenced in the Melbourne County Court on Thursday 19 December after pleading guilty to a single charge of failing to ensure persons other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks.
The court heard Gate Automation Systems was engaged to repair automatic double sliding gates at another company's truck depot in April 2022.
After issues were identified with one of the gates, its drive motor was removed to be repaired off-site, which meant the gate could run on its rollers beyond the support posts and fall from its rails if operated manually.
Fruit grower charged over cool room death
The 50-year-old man was found unresponsive in a low-oxygenated cool room being used to preserve apples, after his vehicle was spotted outside unattended with the engine running.
Gvip Storage Pty Ltd faces two charges under section 26(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to ensure a workplace under its management or control was safe and without risks to health.
WorkSafe alleges the company failed to reduce the risk of serious injury or death by prohibiting entry to cool rooms operating with a controlled atmosphere and by having clear and prominent warning signage.
$300,000 safety spend after worker crushed by barriers
On Thursday 19 December, the Frankston Magistrates' Court heard Winslow Infrastructure Pty Ltd had entered into an enforceable undertaking while facing one charge of failing to provide a safe workplace and one charge of failing to ensure plant is installed, erected or commissioned safely and without risks to health.
WorkSafe may reinstate the charges if the undertaking is contravened or withdrawn.
In February 2023, the company was completing the Lanthams Road Upgrade in Carrum Downs when 23 traffic management barriers and attached fencing being used to delineate pedestrian walkways overturned, crushing a worker as she walked past.
Charges after telehandler incident causes brain injury
Flow Smart Vic Pty Ltd faces two charges under section 21(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace.
The company is accused of breaching section 21(2)(a) of the OHS Act by failing to provide and maintain a safe system of work and section 21(2)(e) of the OHS Act by failing to provide necessary information, instruction or training to enable employees to work safely.
WorkSafe alleges the company failed to eliminate or reduce the risk of workers being struck during the installation of telehandler fork extensions.
Charges after forklift hits worker at cured meats warehouse
D'Orsogna Ltd faces four charges under section 21(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace.
WorkSafe alleges the company twice breached section 21(2)(a) of the OHS Act by failing to provide and maintain a safe system of work to separate powered mobile plant and pedestrians, and by failing to properly maintain the forklift.
It is also alleged the company breached section 21(2)(e) of the OHS Act by failing to provide necessary instruction and training to enable employees to operate a forklift safely.
GENERAL INDUSTRIES
Work health and safety in Australia: information for migrant and multicultural workers available in 11 languages
Everyone in Australia has the right to be healthy and safe at work.
Safe Work Australia has developed a new worker information sheet, Work health and safety in Australia: information for migrant and multicultural workers, with translations available in 11 languages – Arabic, Burmese, Dari, English, Greek, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese.
The information sheet provides an overview of work health and safety laws, including employer duties and worker rights, information on common hazards, what to do if a worker is injured at work, and where to go for help.
