12:21 am, Wednesday 11 December, 2013

Photo: SafetyCulture Library

Investigation into the death of two workers at a Tasmanian mine will be focusing on whether the victims were wearing safety harnesses.

According to ABC News, the two workers were maintenance workers who had been standing on a platform 600 metres below the ground in the main shaft before they fell.

Inspector Matthew Richman of Tasmania Police said they will find out whether the victims had safety harnesses on.

“That’s going to be a significant part of the investigation, together with what the circumstances were at the time,” he said.

SafetyCulture reported on Monday reported the casualties in the Tasmanian west coast mine. The workers aged 25 and 45 died from injuries they sustained in the fall which was deep underground.

Mining has been suspended indefinitely while investigation is ongoing.

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12:02 am, Wednesday 11 December, 2013

As the year ends, work celebrations are common and WorkCover NSW is reminding everyone to ensure the safety of themselves and their colleagues when attending work functions.

General Manager of WorkCover’s Work Health and Safety Division, John Watson highlighted the importance of prioritising safety during this time of the year.

“End of the year functions are a great way to celebrate the achievements of your workers and the business over the past 12 months,” said Mr Watson.

“While we all want to have a safe and enjoyable end of year celebration, local businesses should remember that they are still responsible for the health and safety of workers at these events.

“Workers are also responsible for their own health and safety and the safety of others.

He stressed the importance of consulting workers prior to the event.

“These don’t have to be onerous and could include reminding staff about health and safe behaviour regarding bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination.

“Other things include a set start and finish time, and checking that transport options are available for workers to get home safely.”

Mr Watson also reminded businesses to be aware of issues associated with the misuse of drugs and alcohol.

“If alcohol is going to be served at the event, ensure wait staff are briefed to serve it responsibly and that plenty of food and non-alcoholic drinks are available.

“Also encourage workers to look out for their workmates and if they are concerned someone is under the influence of alcohol, work with their manager to keep them safe.

“By taking these steps, businesses can celebrate the holiday season safely,” he said.

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11:09 pm, Monday 9 December, 2013

The leak began as a 10-centimetre tear in a leach tank at a uranium mine in Kakadu National Park. However within an hour it had become what has now been referred to as one of the “worst radioactive accidents in Australia’s history.”

It started at about 12.30 on Saturday morning when staff at the mine noticed liquid leaking from Leach Tank 1 which is a large, above-ground tank containing more than 1.4 million litres of highly acidic radioactive slurry.

They were using a crane to cover the leak with a steel plate when they noticed a second hole. All workers at the mine were then evacuated, just before the tank burst and released over 1 million litres of mud, water, sulphuric acid and radioactive liquid.

The force of the tank bursting was so strong that the crane sustained damage and it was moved back about 1 metre.

It is believed that the radioactive matter then reached outside of the containment banks and into the stormwater and drainage system of the mine.

The operator of the mine said that nobody was hurt and that ”multiple containment systems’’ stopped the spill from affecting Kakadu National Park. They said that all water readings are normal.

People living at at Mudginberri, on Magela Creek, which is about seven kilometres downstream are concerned that the spill will affect them. The 60 Mirarr people fish, hunt, drink the water and play in the creek that flows directly past the mine.

This incident is the latest incident out of over 120 in the 30 year history of the mine. During the Howard government a threat was issued about shutting the mine after a Senate committee inquiry found a ”persistent pattern of under-performance and non-compliance”.

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10:08 pm, Monday 9 December, 2013

Operations were suspended at the oldest operating mine in Australia today after two workers fell more than 20 metres down a mine shaft. The mine is located on the Tasmanian west coast.

The workers, both fitters aged 25 and 45, both died from the injuries they received in the fall which was deep underground.

A police spokesperson said that they fell an estimated 20-35 metres, one man died on the scene whilst the other was brought to the surface and died on his way to hospital.

Both workers lived locally and were members of the mine shaft maintenance crew.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene just after the accident at 9am but were not able to revive either of the men.

Workplace standards is investigating the cause of the incident.

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04:43 pm, Saturday 7 December, 2013

iAuditor has partnered with GeoOp for a special 45min webinar to demonstrate live how iAuditor and GeoOp work together to revolutionise workplace auditing.

iAuditor is the world’s most popular safety inspection app used to conduct over 6 million safety inspections around the globe since February 2012. It is an integral new slice of technology helping users streamline their inspection and auditing processes in the workplace.

GeoOp has a similar focus when it comes to making work a more streamlined and organised process, and with iAuditor’s partnership with GeoOp, users can now complete forms in iAuditor and save it under the relevant job in GeoOp keeping everything in one place and under control.

The webinar will be held on Tuesday 10^th December at 11.am AEST.

Space is limited for the webinar, so please register by clicking on the link here. Please make sure to view the webinar time in your timezone and complete the registration form in that timezone as well.

Both apps can be downloaded for free at the App Store or Google Play.

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02:18 pm, Friday 6 December, 2013

The WA Department of Mines and Petroleum is investigating the death on Wednesday of a contract worker at a gold mine in the Pilbara.

A spokesperson for the company said that the worker had died after a serious accident at the discharge line on the tailings dam.

This is the second death at a mine site in Western Australia this year.

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10:20 pm, Thursday 5 December, 2013

A new data released by Safe Work Australia shows there has been no change in the last two years in the number of worker fatalities.

According to the Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities, Australia 2012, there were 223 workers who died due to work injuries in 2012.

Key findings of the report include:

• Two thirds of the work-related fatalities in 2012 involved vehicles. Half of these incidents happened on a public road. The other half happened at a worksite.
• Workers aged 65 years and up recorded the highest fatality rate. There were 6.85 deaths per 100,000 workers aged 65 years or more. This was three times the rate for all workers.
• The Transport, postal and warehousing industry recorded the highest number of fatalities with 65 deaths last year.  The agriculture, forestry and fishing industry ranked secondwith 53 deaths and the construction industry with 30.

The report is the eighth in a series which estimates the number of workers and bystanders killed each year due to work-related injuries.

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09:54 pm, Thursday 5 December, 2013

WorkSafe inspectors are visiting retail stores in Victoria this week to encourage shop owners and workers to prioritise safety during the Christmas sales rush.

They will continue to visit stores across the summer months and will be looking at issues on housekeeping practices, ladder safety, storage and stock management processes. Safety training for young and new workers will also be a focus for the inspectors.

WorkSafe Regional Director, Melinda Collinson, urged the retail sector to prioritise safety so that everyone could get home safely at the end of each day.

“This time of year, many businesses put on Christmas casuals for the summer months, so it’s particularly important that young or new employees receive appropriate training and supervision. They should also be encouraged to speak up if they are uncertain about how to do something safely,” said Ms Collinson.

She encouraged all workplaces be proactive in identifying and fixing safety issues.

“The good news is that these types of injuries are preventable and the solutions to the hazards are often simple fixes,” she said.

“One of the easiest ways to prevent slips, trips and falls is to make sure in-store and back-of-store areas are free from clutter and excess stock.

“Another simple solution to avoid manual handling injuries is to use an elevated work surface, such as a trolley or table, instead of lifting stock from the floor.

“It’s also essential that workers have the right equipment to access stock or displays at height. Platform-style ladders are often a better choice than A-frame ladders, which can be less stable and pose a greater fall risk.”

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06:48 pm, Wednesday 4 December, 2013

A worker was transported to the Cleve Hospital after he was hit by lightning when working at Rudall yesterday morning.

At this stage his injuries are unknown.

SafeWork SA has attended the site and is investigating the incident.

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05:44 pm, Wednesday 4 December, 2013

A worker who was crushed under a 3-tonne machine this morning in Delacombe this morning is lucky yo be alive according to authorities.

The 47-year-old local man way pinned to the floor face down by a lathe when it fell as it was being moved. The incident happened just before 8.30 this morning.

Emergency crews were called after the machine’s handle pierced the shoulder of the man. Paramedics treated him for an hour while he was still trapped and CFA rescue teams worked to free him.

Ballarat City Fire Brigade senior station Officer David Mounier said that initially the rescue teams tried to dismantle the lathe while the worker was trapped but this was “too difficult and dangerous.”

They then had to focus on cutting the handle from the machine and the five cm handle was left imbedded in the man’s shoulder.

The injured man was taken to Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital in a stable condition.

WorkSafe Victoria is investigating the incident.

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