Archived Articles

August

Car dealer fined $30,000 after detailer injured
An Osborne Park vehicle dealership has been fined after a car detailer was hurt when he was struck by a car driven by an apprentice without a driving licence.
Read More

WA Safety Show on this week
Western Australia's largest workplace safety trade show, the WA Safety Show, will offer free OSH law workshops and thousands of practical safety solutions when it runs from Tuesday 24 to Thursday 26 August.
Read More

Call for focus on machine guarding
A 34 year-old man has died from head injuries suffered while cleaning a machine at a poultry processing works in Laverton North.
Read More

WorkSafe talks construction tactics at Bulldogs brekkie
Construction safety was on the agenda at this morning’s Western Bulldog’s coaches’ review breakfast, with the launch of a WorkSafe Victoria campaign encouraging tradies to use the right tool for the job.
Read More

Good people are not so hard to find
A WorkSafe Victoria program to help injured workers get back to work could help solve Australia’s skills shortage.
Read More

‘Psychologist’ to face fraud charges
A man who claims to have qualified as a psychologist during the 1980s in Yugoslavia has been committed to stand trial in the Melbourne County Court on 367 charges relating to fraud and attempted fraud against WorkSafe and the TAC.
Read More

July

Cold storage giant fined $60,000 for forklift failings
WorkSafe Victoria has renewed its call for workplaces to separate people and forklifts, following the prosecution of a national cold storage company after a worker was hit by a forklift.
Read More

Company director fined over underpayments
A Sydney company director has been fined $16,900 for his involvement in the underpayment of eight of his former staff.
Read More

Workplace fatality toll a “life or death” reminder
Twenty-six Victorian workers died in the 09/10 financial year due to lapses in workplace safety, WorkSafe Victoria has announced.
Read More

WorkSafe steps in to protect student safety
WorkSafe has entered into an agreement which will help protect secondary students at Victoria’s state schools from preventable injuries in woodwork, metalwork, and automotive classrooms.
Read More

Third prosecution after apprentice burnt in workplace ‘prank’
An apprentice who set fire to a new workmate in a workplace ‘prank’ has been prosecuted by WorkSafe Victoria.
Read More

Hotel employer fined $3000 for not complying with improvement notices
A Northampton hotel employer has been fined $3000 on a total of eleven charges related to failing to display improvement notices and failing to comply with those notices.
Read More

June

Successful men’s health program expanded
A successful service to improve men’s wellbeing and personal resilience in the Wheatbelt will be expanded State-wide using funding from the Liberal-National Government’s Royalties for Regions program.
Read More

Asbestos and contaminant removal with Negative Air Fan
Fanquip has developed a new fan technology – complete with safety monitoring system - specifically for use when handling asbestos and other substances that are harmful when airborne.
Read More

Restaurant owners fined $6000 for not complying with notice
The two owners of a Perth restaurant have been fined for failing to guard or dispose of a dough mixer on their premises after receiving an Improvement Notice requiring that they do so.
Read More

Tripled fine sends clear health and safety message
A health and safety fine which was nearly tripled on appeal sends a clear message to Victorian workplaces about the consequences of needlessly endangering workers, WorkSafe Victoria said.
Read More

WorkSafe prosecution generates over half a million for charities
A WorkSafe Victoria prosecution has generated over half a million dollars for charities and emergency services - including $230,000 towards LaTrobe Valley rescue helicopter Helimed One.
Read More

Slips, trips and falls on domestic construction sites costing millions
Slips, trips and falls on domestic construction sites* are costing the community millions of dollars a year in medical costs for injured workers.
Read More

May

Older farmers nearly twice as likely to die on the job
Victorian farmers over the age of 60 are nearly twice as likely to die from work-related injuries as younger farmers*, WorkSafe Victoria said today.
Read More

WA Safety Show back in August
Western Australia's largest workplace safety trade show, the WA Safety Show, returns to Perth from August 24 to 26.
Read More

Cirlock appoints new General Manager
Australian manufacturer of Lockout / Tagout Equipment – CIRLOCK – has in June 2010 assigned the job of General Manager to Maria Burrowes. In a generational shift Maria takes over from previous manager and company founder Erik Larsen.
Read More

Nominate for Work Safety Awards Western Australia 2010
WorkSafe has called for nominations for the prestigious Work Safety Awards Western Australia 2010, recognising outstanding occupational safety and health achievement.
Read More

Glass prescription safety glasses outlawed
Most employers have been blind to changes to the Australian Standard for prescription eye protection, says a WA Safety Show exhibitor. The revised standard has been reinforced by a policy statement released by the WA Department of Labour Relations in February, leaving non-compliant workplaces and their employees exposed.
Read More

Perth company fined $7260 for refusing to provide records
A Perth company and one of its directors have been fined a total of $7260 for refusing to provide the employment records of a former employee who claimed he had been underpaid.
Read More

Confined space fans reduces cancer
Much of Australian industry has little idea that unwanted gas in confined work spaces has a two pronged negative effect.
Read More

Life-threatening workplace incident prompts lathe safety warning
A 26 year-old Craigieburn man is fighting for his life after being struck in the head by a steel rod being shaped by a lathe.
Read More

New Mesothelioma Registry launched
On 20 April, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations officially launched the new Australian Mesothelioma Registry which will be managed by a consortium led by the Cancer Institute New South Wales and including some of the leading experts in asbestos related disease in Australia.
Read More

April

Business as usual for ABCC as IR hotspots continue to burn
Victoria and Western Australia continue to be the building industry’s biggest trouble spots, based on the number of legal proceedings undertaken by the ABCC in these two states.
Read More

Employee fined total of $7000 for illegal forklift joyride
An employee has been fined a total of $5000 (plus $2000 costs) on three charges after she took a forklift for an illegal joyride and injured a visitor to the workplace.
Read More

Vibration as big an OHS threat as noise
Finger pain, numbness and even gangrene are the symptoms of a serious occupational disease that strikes up to 50 per cent of hand tool users. The cause is vibration but while the impacts are well-known internationally, WA Safety Show exhibitor Noise and Vibration Measurement Systems describes its effect as a "sleeping giant" in Australian workplaces.
Read More

Melbourne workplaces take action to prevent bullying
Preventing bullying at work was on the agenda for over 150 people who attended a WorkSafe Victoria seminar in Melbourne this morning.
Read More

WorkSafe inspector intimidated at Lardner Park Fieldays
The alleged assault of an inspector at the Lardner Park Fieldays last Friday has prompted a WorkSafe investigation into the incident.
Read More

Safety in Action Conference tackles a "wicked problem"
The Safety in Action Conference in April will deal with contractors and CEOs, research and change, wellness in the workplace and, for the hard-nosed, making the safety training dollar work.
Read More

March

20% more expected to visit Safety In Action
Visitor registrations to Australia's largest workplace safety event, Safety In Action and Melbourne Materials Handling, are up by 20 per cent compared to this time last year.
Read More

The ABCs of safety needed for childcare workers
WorkSafe is urging Victoria’s child care centres and kindergartens to get involved in a new campaign to improve workplace safety and reduce the high number of debilitating – and preventable – musculoskeletal injuries.
Read More

Safety limping along in civil construction
Over the 3 years from July 2006 to the end of June, $30 million was paid in workers’ compensation to 600 civil construction workers for lower leg injuries.
Read More

Using earthmoving equipment near overhead power lines?
A new WorkSafe handbook, Using earthmoving equipment near overhead electrical assets, is available online.
Read More

Resort fined $60,000 over permanent injury to worker
The owner of a Broome resort has been fined $60,000 over an incident in 2006 that left an employee permanently disabled.
Read More

Researchers vie to reveal exciting findings at conference
Researchers will compete for cash at the new Melbourne Convention Centre during the Safety in Action Conference in April as part of a bid to stimulate OHS research.
Read More

February

Increased controls on asbestos removal to reduce hazards
Changes to WA’s occupational safety and health laws to ensure that only workers with the proper skills and knowledge can remove asbestos will soon come into operation.
Read More

WorkSafe urges safety professionals to seize their place in the sun
"The harmonisation of Australia's OHS laws has given health and safety a place in the sun. How we take advantage of that is a question safety professionals need to answer." This will be WorkSafe Victoria director Stan Krpan's message to delegates gathered at the Safety in Action Conference.
Read More

Safety work related to the terminated home insulation program
From Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett: Today I announce further details of the Government’s safety inspections and rectification work related to the terminated Home Insulation Program. As outlined in my statement on Friday, the Government is prepared to check as many houses as necessary through this process.
Read More

January

Alchohol Project Grant
Healthway, in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office, is pleased to announce The Community Alcohol Grants Program.
Read More

Analysis needed to reduce workplace hazard
In an effort to minimise workplace injuries on construction sites, Pro-Visual Publishing is calling all Western Australian construction workers to implement a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) with their 2010 Construction Industry Guide to Site Safety.
Read More

New guide to safety
Chair of Safe Work Australia, Mr Tom Phillips AM, has announced the release of three guidance publications for the stevedoring industry -Working Safely on the Waterfront, Working Safely with General Cargo - Steel products, and Working Safely with Containers.
Read More

Monday scorcher a workplace safety issue
Extreme temperatures forecast statewide for Monday have prompted a warning from WorkSafe for employers and workers to plan their work to minimise exposure in the hot conditions.
Read More

Safety resolutions needed to make Victoria safe
WorkSafe is calling on Victorian employers and workers to make a concerted effort to create safe workplaces this year.
Read More

Labour hire companies have OHS obligations
Industries as diverse as retail and clerical through to the meat industry, trades (including apprentices), mining, health services, local government and the gamut of professions rely heavily on the flexibility that labour hire firms offer.
Read More

December

Dandenong business fails injured worker
Concrete panel supplier, The Precast Company, pleaded guilty in the Dandenong Magistrates Court on Friday 13 November to failing to provide an injured worker with suitable employment as required under Victoria’s workers compensation legislation.
Read More

Action against disregards of demolition license
Four successful prosecutions in the courts this week have prompted a reminder from WorkSafe on the importance of demolition licences.
Read More

Quarry company convicted after worker dies
A major quarrying company which operates in Victoria and Queensland has been convicted and fined $650,000 after the death of a worker near Melbourne in 2005.
Read More

November

Summer holiday jobs create risks for young
Employers and workers, particularly the young are moving into the highest risk period of the year with thousands of school and university leavers entering the workforce over the next four months.
Read More

Remember Asbestos Awareness Week 2009
The last week of November each year is Asbestos Awareness Week. This year it's 23 - 27 November. The week serves as a reminder of the effects of asbestos and provides an opportunity to remember and support the families affected by asbestos-related diseases.
Read More

Company fined $815,000 for health and safety breaches
A company director has been convicted and fined $65,000 for workplace health and safety breaches relating to his failure to ensure workers were properly trained and supervised.
Read More

Winners of WA Work Safety Awards announced
The six winners of the prestigious 2009 Work Safety Awards Western Australia were announced on Friday night.
Read More

Company fined $36,000 over workplace injury
A Cannington printing company has been fined $36,000 over an incident in which a female employee had part of a finger amputated.
Read More

Work related deaths in WA to decrease
Over 40,000 Western Australians were seriously injured at work last financial year, and 22 died as a result of work-related injuries.
Read More

October

New OHS laws cause debates
Comcare has welcomed the Federal Governments response to the Report of the Review of Self-insurance Agreement released last week.
Read More

Truckies campaign against depression
The Australian Trucking Association will be involved in Beyond Blue’s Anxiety and Depression Awareness (ADA) this month.
Read More

Utes rate as unsafe
Three imported utes have scored poorly in crash tests: the Malaysian Proton Jumbuck ute only rated a single star; while the highly anticipated Great Wall Motors SA220 and V240 utes from China received only 2 stars out of 5.
Read More

August

Campaign to improve scaffolding safety
Workplace safety authorities across Australia are undertaking a nationally co-ordinated targeted intervention campaign to improve scaffolding safety in the construction industry.
Read More

New road safety chairman appointed
Public health expert Professor D’Arcy Holman will be the new independent chair of the WA Road Safety Council.
Read More

Beware of dust
An inspection campaign targeting dusts, fumes and fibres uncovered that many employers are either not aware of the hazards in their workplaces or are not taking action to reduce the risks.
Read More

June

Fatigue roadblock finds good levels of compliance
WA commercial transport workers are to be congratulated on the vast improvement in driver safety. A recent roadblock exercise at Port Hedland revealed generally good compliance with fatigue safety laws.
Read More

National review into OHS laws
The Western Australian Government will accept the vast majority of the recommendations from a review into a national OHS Act.
Read More

Margaret River workplace inspection
A WorkSafe targeted inspection programme of manufacturing workplaces in and around Margaret River has revealed the lack of guarding on machinery, unsafe operation of forklifts and little training in workplace safety issues was still of concern.
Read More

April

Model behaviour
Is there a link between business performance and a company's safety record? Research into this theory is limited, but do the tools of the learning organisation have a place in building a safety culture? Curtin University's Yang Miang Goh and Helen Brown explain. Download PDF (189 KB)
Read More

Keep on rolling
While State and Territory authorities are responsible for co-ordinating and planning disaster response efforts, private companies can do their bit by having their own action plan to keep the business of doing business operational. Advanced Safety reports. Download PDF (262 KB)
Read More

Get a grip on safety
For more than a decade workers compensation claims for manual handling Injuries have remained rock steady. Nathan Deans looks into why such injuries are an obstinate issue in Australian workforces. Download PDF (168 KB)
Read More

Get a competitive edge with compliance
Some companies adopt sustainability and health, safety and environment (HSE0 management for compliance purposes. Others see this as a way in which they can qualify to compete. The most enlightened companies see a strong sustainability and HSE culture as a true competitive advantage. Which type of company is yours? Vince Asdagi reports. Download PDF (182 KB)
Read More

Beyond the black stump, but not beyond care
Occupational stress and depression in fly in, fly out workers at remote worksites is taking its toll, but how can companies help? Phillipa Cockran reports. Download PDF (413 KB)
Read More

Talk it up
Communication can unlock the doors to a successful return to work, according to WorkCover WA. Teaming injured workers with their employers and medical practicioner’s means together they can nut out the best options. Download PDF (236 KB)
Read More

Don't be a live wire
The electrical industry is risky. Because of this, the safety of workers is paramount. Garth Stewart, an OHS manager working in the electricity industry, sets out the key factors to meet minimum safety standards. Download PDF (303 KB)
Read More

Ego is not a dirty word
Safety interventions based on behaviour are often regarded as the champagne of safety management. Dr Travis Kemp finds out if this an effective approach for the longer term. Download PDF (300 KB)
Read More

Breaking the pain barrier
One in five people suffer chronic pain - pain that’s experienced on a daily basis in excess of three to six months and one in 10 will report that pain is interfering with their lives, which means it might be affecting their ability to work. Advanced Safety reports. Download PDF (101 KB)
Read More

March

Say 'no' to dusty workplaces
WorkSafe will conduct a targeted inspection campaign on dusts, fumes and fibres in workplaces throughout April. These contaminants are responsible for a significant number of illnesses and deaths.
Read More

Put your safety first this Easter
Drivers are being reminded that every individual has a role to play in making the roads safe this Easter long weekend.
Read More

Mine Safe 2009
IIR’s sixth annual Mine Safe 2009 conference on May 26-27
Read More

February

Blueprint for national OHS
Australia’s safety community is waiting to see how State and Territory ministers respond to the report Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard intends will form the basis of national laws for OHS.
Read More

Bushfire construction standards fast-tracked
The Victorian bushfire tragedy has prompted Standards Australia to fast-track the completion of a revised Standard governing the construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas.
Read More

Keeping newbies safe
In the past four years, 15 young WA workers have lost their lives in work-related incidents. And every day about 10 young workers are injured seriously enough to require time off.
Read More

Safety it's written on the wall
Hang it on the office wall, keep it on show at work sites, but use it that's the word from Master Builders Association of WA which will distribute the 2009 edition of the Construction Industry Guide to Site Safety wall chart.
Read More

Crackdown on untidy sites
Basic ‘housekeeping’ failures on building sites are costing the industry $50 million a year – enough to build 270 new homes.
Read More

What's on
The 2009 Safety In Action Conference from March 31 to April 2 will feature speakers who are shaping the direction of business management in Australia. Among them is Barry Sherriff, who will offer insights as a member of the National Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Review Panel and Professor Michael Quinlan, author of an expert investigation into OHS management at the Beaconsfield mine.
Read More

January

Safety scorecard for building sites
Safety inspections of construction sites in the State's south-west has revealed some areas of concern, like electricity use and falls, but generally good compliance standards.
Read More

What's your cancer-aware IQ?
A new on-line national education campaign has been launched by the The Purple Boot Brigade of the Breast Cancer Foundation of WA. The Breast IQ quiz tests participants’ knowledge about breast cancer and encourages them to ‘be breast aware’ early detection saves lives. Participants completing the Breast IQ quiz before March 31, 2009, have the opportunity to win weekly prizes and a major prize of a Thailand trip for two worth $8000.
Read More

Is the safety message getting through?
WorkSafe has issued a reminder to keep workplace safety in mind when returning to work after holidays. This follows the death last week of a 29-year-old cleaning supervisor at the Malaga Markets who was believed to have been checking a dishwasher that was malfunctioning, and he appears to have been electrocuted.
Read More

Danger time for workplace incidents is here
WorkSafe has issued a reminder to keep workplace safety in mind when returning to work after the festive season.
Read More

Rescue ladder
The recently released Rollgliss rescue ladder provides a means of assisted rescue after a fall ocurred where standard fall protection equipment is in use.
Read More

Line-up at Safety In Action conference
The 2009 Safety In Action Conference will feature speakers who are shaping the direction of business management in Australia.
Read More

December

Drive safe this Christmas
Have a fatality-free festive season – that’s the word from the White Ribbons for Road Safety campaign, which kicked off this week and will run until Monday, January 5, 2009.
Read More

$15,000 fine over fatal fall
An employer has been fined $15,000 over the death of a man who fell from the roof of a warehouse in Fremantle. Sean Peter Sellin, trading as Sellin Engineering, pleaded guilty and was fined earlier this week for failing to provide a safe working environment.
Read More

National manual handling campaign underway
Workplace safety and health authorities Australia-wide are joining forces to reduce manual handling injuries in the retail, wholesale, transport and storage industries.
Read More

November

This is How We Do It
WorkSafe has issued a plea for employers and workers to take a more active approach to workplace safety.
Read More

Regional Areas Improve Fall Compliance
A national inspection campaign focusing on the prevention of falls in construction has found that compliance with fall prevention legislation has improved in regional areas.
Read More

IFMA Strengthens Ties to FMA Australia
The International Facility Management Association has renewed its Partners in FM Excellence agreements with the Facility Management Association of Australia and the British Institute of Facilities Management.
Read More

October

Worksafe Targets Young Workers
WorkSafe Victoria have launched a graphic new campaign aimed at Generation Y, their families and employers in a bid to reduce the rate of young workers ending up in the emergency ward at Victorian hospitals as a result of workplace injuries.
Read More

Cyclone Season
WA’s cyclone season begins in less than four weeks and businesses throughout the north-west of the State are being reminded to ensure contingency plans are established and in operation.
Read More

Prefab Inspection Program
WorkSafe is currently undertaking an inspection program in the prefabricated building manufacturing industry with a view to reducing injuries and disease in the sector.
Read More

September

Work Death Prompt Bid for Uniform Safety Laws
A staggering 8000-plus Australians die each year from work-related incidents or illnesses, Access Economics says. Another 690,000 are injured or fall sick from work-related causes.
Read More

New Laws Protect Overseas Workers
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, has introduced a Bill into the Senate that sets out a new framework to better protect temporary overseas workers in Australia.
Read More

Reminder on High Risk Work Licences
WorkSafe has issued a reminder that some workers engaged in high risk work have only a few weeks in which to obtain a licence to perform that work.
Read More

August

Wake Up, Sleepy Head
Australian OHS authorities have been struggling for many years to address issues of fatigue in the workplace. Yawning? Rubbing your eyes? Reaching for the umpteenth cup of coffee? These are all signs and symptoms of fatigue.
Read More

Tasmania’s Risk Taking Culture
Tasmania’s mining industry has identified their main safety risks as being an ageing culture and a risk-taking culture.
Read More

You Bully
Workplace bullying is nothing new. What’s new is the release of the associated costs of bullying to Australian businesses. Estimated between $6 billion and $13 billion a year.
Read More

July

Charges Delivered over Cyclone George
WorkSafe will prosecute eight companies in connection with two deaths and serious harm caused to seven people during Cyclone George in March early in 2007.
Read More

Give ‘em a Break
A transport company has been fined $35,000 for failing to ensure its commercial vehicle drivers took legally required rest breaks.
Read More

New Plumbing Standards
The Plumbing Licensing Board have introduced a new set of pluming standards that took place earlier in July this year.
Read More

Construction Guide for National Consistency
The Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation has produced a new safety guide to help construction companies nationwide develop a consistent approach to safety.
Read More

Code of Practice on safe design launched
A new code of practice on the safe design of buildings and other structures - the first of its kind in Australia – has been launched at Subiaco Arts Centre.
Read More