05:40 pm, Friday 26 October, 2007

Source: News.com.au

A VICTORIAN tourist chairlift operator has been fined $110,000 over a crash that crushed a woman’s legs.

Tri Thi Le was on the ride on the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne, with several family members on March 18, 2004, when her chair slid down the rope into the one in front.

Her legs were crushed so badly they needed pins inserted.

The company’s lawyer had told the Victorian County Court there was evidence the chair which came loose was sabotaged.

But Judge David Parsons today ruled it was more likely the grips holding the chair had become loose because of inadequate maintenance.

Mrs Le’s son Dung Van Ma had told the court they were on the ride for only 10 to 15 minutes when the chair began to give way, dropping quickly as they passed a pole.

“I started screaming. I didn’t have enough time to look after my mum,” according to his statement, which was read to the court.

WorkSafe alleged Arthurs Seat Scenic Chairlift Pty Ltd failed to adequately maintain the chairlift by checking the tightness of the bolts in the grip holding the chair to the rope.

The company, which pleaded guilty to breaking safety laws, admitted it did not undertake its maintenance schedule in March, but denied this resulted in the crash.

The defence argued the chair could have been sabotaged as witnesses had told police they saw a person climbing on one of the chair canopies the day before the crash.

Judge Parsons fined the company $110,000 over failing to ensure its patrons were not exposed to risk, a charge that carries a maximum $250,000 penalty.

He said it was significant there had been a similar slippage incident four years earlier.

Judge Parsons said the public had a right to expect the chairlift operator adhered to rigorous safety guidelines.

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07:26 am, Friday 26 October, 2007

Source: Adelaide Now

RANDOM workplace drug tests in the past year have caught hundreds of South Australian workers with crystal methamphetamine in their system.

Adelaide-based company, Integrity Sampling, has tested up to 5000 workers in various industries in the past 12 months.

The company said about 10 per cent had displayed traces of the stimulant drug.

Worksafe SA, another company which conducts workplace drug tests, has reported a “five fold” increase in one year in the detection of crystal methamphetamine, which also is used to make ice and speed.

A report by workplace regulator, SafeWork SA, shows at least 5 per cent of deaths and up to 13 per cent of work injuries are related to drug and alcohol use.

A recommendation from a parliamentary committee this month says SafeWork SA should be given the power to require alcohol and drug tests from any employee deemed to be involved in a workplace death or serious injury.

The growing use of methamphetamine – highlighting the nationwide “ice epidemic” – has been linked mainly to workers in the manufacturing and transport industries, which employ nearly 100,000 people in SA.

The average number of workers detected with cannabis in their system is between 10 and 15 per cent. Heroin and cocaine is being detected in about one in every 100 workers.

Integrity Sampling managing director Bill Hayes said the 10 per cent figure for positive crystal methamphetamine tests was similar to results in other states.

“It is a massive problem and has grown tremendously over the past 12 to 18 months,” he said.

One manufacturing business recently tested by Worksafe SA had 54 per cent of its workers test positive to illegal substances, mainly cannabis and/or methamphetamine.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union SA secretary John Camillo said: “It is alarming . . . people coming to work should not have drugs or alcohol in their system.”

Business SA chief executive Peter Vaughan said “persons affected by drugs or alcohol in the workplace present physical risks to themselves and others”.

OHS News TIP - Drug & Alcohol Policy

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07:00 am, Friday 26 October, 2007

Source: Cobar Age

Cobar Shire Council is taking the lead in workplace safety, with most of its employees participating in a Safe Work Australia Week activity to focus on workplace safety issues.

With more than 180 employees, the council has made it a priority this week to raise awareness of safety in the workplace to reduce death, injury and disease.

HR officer Karen Irvine said that with about 330 Australians losing their lives as a result of a work-related injuries each year, there was no better time to strengthen workplace safety messages.

“Our employees have organised a trivia competition and will encourage spring cleanups in all our workplaces throughout the week to encourage everyone to get involved in making our workplace safe,” Mrs Irvine said on Monday.

“The winner of the competition will receive a special 10-visit pass to the gymnasium at the Cobar Youth and Fitness Centre.

“The competition winner will be announced next Tuesday.

“Incorporating safety into our everyday work practices and making it a daily consideration not only improves occupational health and safety performance, but it has a very significant effect on our productivity.”

Cobar Shire Council encourages all employers to demonstrate their commitment to workplace safety by getting involved in Safe Work Australia Week, Mrs Irvine said.

Suggestions, information and promotional products to help you run events are available from ascc.gov.au.

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12:00 am, Wednesday 24 October, 2007

Source: Gold Coast

A 45-year-old Country Energy worker was electrocuted yesterday while carrying out line work at Burringbar, southeast of Murwillumbah.

The Murwillumbah man, who had worked for the company for 17 years, is believed to have been working on an elevated work platform when the accident occurred about 10am.

A second Country Energy employee at the site was unharmed in the accident and was reported to have applied emergency response procedures at the scene.

Police, ambulance crews and the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter were all called but attempts to revive the qualified line worker were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Country Energy spokesman said ‘sincere condolences’ had been offered to the dead man’s relatives.

“Employees are being provided support and counselling services and the employee’s family will be provided with every possible assistance,” he said.

The spokesman said an internal investigation had been launched and the company would co-operate with investigations into the incident.

The matter had also been passed to WorkCover and an inspector was conducting preliminary inquiries.

OHS News TIP - Elevated Work Platform Work Method Statement

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12:00 am, Wednesday 24 October, 2007

Source: The West

Fifty four workers at a gold mine near Kalgoorlie were trapped underground after a fire broke out in a truck engine early this morning.

The workers, at Barrick Gold Corp’s Kanowna Belle Gold Mine north-east of Kalgoorlie, were taken to refuge stations underground “as a precautionary measure” after the incident, which started about 9.15am.

A spokeswoman for Barrick confirmed the fire broke out in the engine of a 755 caterpillar truck but was quickly extinguished.

Selena Watt said there were no injuries and the workers were being rescued from the mine this afternoon.

She said the mine’s rescue team expected to have all the workers back up to the surface by this evening.

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04:52 pm, Tuesday 23 October, 2007

Source: The Standard

A DERRINALLUM man faces the prospect of losing the use of his hand after a shocking workplace incident in Lismore.

The mill operator is believed to have lost four fingers and severely damaged his thumb after he got caught in machinery at a stockfeed company on Friday.

Opening inspection doors, the man’s hand was crushed between two rollers that are used to grind  products into stockfeed.

“It is just disastrous for the man and his family,” Worksafe Victoria spokesman Michael Birt said.

“These types of incidents are totally life-changing… in terms of what people can do in the future.”

WorkSafe, which is investigating the incident, inspected the site on Saturday.

During the inspection the firm put locks on all the access points to the rollers  to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.

Mr Birt said proactive work to safeguard  against these incidents were not time-consuming or costly.

“These sort of injuries date back to the start of the industrial revolution 200 years ago,” he said.

“They just should not happen. But they continue to happen far too regularly for something that is so preventable.”

With Work Safe Week starting yesterday, the authority is imploring employers to address its known and potential hazards.

“They shouldn’t rely on the expertise of employers  as the primary way of making a safe workplace,” Mr Birt said.

In the Corangamite Shire, a total of 369 workplace injuries have been reported to the authority in the five years to 2006-07.

They have come at a  cost, of treating and rehabilitating the injured, of $8.4 million.

OHS NEW TIP - Grinder Safety Procedures

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12:00 am, Tuesday 23 October, 2007

The winners of the 2007 Work Safe Awards have been announced. Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, John Mickel, says the awards celebrate the great work being done by workers and businesses to improve health and safety at the grass roots level throughout the state.

“The winners and finalists should be proud of their achievements. They deserve public recognition for their strong commitment to continuous improvement in health and safety in their workplaces,” says Mickel.

“A panel of judges representing industry, employer associations, unions, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and the Electrical Safety Office chose seven finalists from 52 entries.

“It’s great to see entries came from across a range of sectors including local government, construction, retail, rural and heavy industry.”

The winners and finalists are:

Best workplace health and safety management system
Winner: Townsville City Council for its strong commitment to improving health and safety for its 1300 employees who undertake a diverse range of work activities to deliver infrastructure and services to the Townsville community.

Finalist: Myer Queensland, Mitchelton, Brisbane for implementing an excellent safety management system that demonstrates commitment to achieving continuous improvement in safety performance and a strong safety culture.

Best solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue

Winner: Watpac Australia Pty Ltd, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, for developing a safe means of installing the 20,000m2 of fabric membrane roof panels in the construction of Skilled Park stadium at Robina, which is to be the home of the Gold Coast Titans rugby league club.

Finalists: Boyne Smelters Limited, Boyne Island near Gladstone, Australia’s largest aluminium smelter, for its innovative approach to worker participation in finding solutions to ergonomic issues through an annual staff competition that encourages, recognises and rewards improvements made in various work areas.

Myer Queensland, Mitchelton, Brisbane, for putting in place a safety management system that achieved a cultural shift in its 3,000 strong workforce and led to a marked reduction in the higher than industry average of lost time injuries at its 10 department stores across Queensland.

Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety

Winner: Dick Turpin, Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd, Milton, Brisbane, for his many years of dedication to workplace health and safety, in particular the positive influence he had on the safety culture in the high-risk construction industry through his strong mentoring and training skills.

Best solution to an identified electrical safety issue

Winner: Upper Haughton Harvesting Pty Ltd, Giru, north of Ayr, for simple and cost-effective solutions to minimising the risk of contact with overhead power lines when sugar cane unloading and bin handling are undertaken at rail sidings.

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12:00 am, Tuesday 23 October, 2007

Source: ABC

A worker injured when he ran back into a burning factory in East Victoria Park yesterday has described his actions as stupid.

Warehouse Manager Darren Clark escaped with only minor burns as he was trying to get gas cylinders out of the building when the fire took hold.

His co-worker sustained burns to his arm and the back of his head and remains in hospital in a stable condition.

The fire caused about $10 million damage. The cause of the blaze is still being investigated.

Mr Clark says his actions were not heroic.

“Probably more stupid than anything else, cause at one stage I was picking the cage up with theLPG bottles up and I thought what the bloody hell am I doing standing here with the flames coming towards us,” he said.

“I looked over saw Johnno running bloody round patting the back of his head [which] was starting to burn.”

OHS News TIP - Fire Evacuation Emergency Policy

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12:00 am, Sunday 21 October, 2007

Source: The Courier Mail

HUNDREDS of injuries are not reported in Queensland’s booming mining industry, a top-level State Government review confirms.

The review of the Government’s Queensland Mines and Quarries Annual Safety Performance and Health Report will be released by Mines Minister Geoff Wilson today.

It warns that the system of collecting safety data needs an overhaul to give an accurate picture of safety standards in the $16-billion industry.

Golden-handshake redundancies to injured workers, a reluctance to accurately report accidents for fear of reprisals, and fears of the manipulation of figures were reported in submissions to the review.

Mr Wilson told The Sunday Mail he wanted to use the “warts-and-all” report as a catalyst for change.

The review is by Dr David Cliff, of the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre, and Professor Tony Parker, of the Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation at Queensland University of Technology.

It followed a series of articles by The Sunday Mail and the death of mine worker Jason Blee, 33, after an accident at the Moranbah North coal mine, southwest of Mackay, in April.

The father-of-four’s death was the industry’s fourth fatality this year.

On Thursday, two miners suffered severe burns after an explosion at the Anglo Coal Callide mine near Biloela, west of Gladstone.

The incident followed a near-fatal incident on September 28, and a similar one on October 12, at the BMA Blackwater mine 825km northwest of Brisbane.

The government review stops short of naming mining companies but highlights widespread problems in gathering statistics.

The review’s authors found that up to half of injuries that resulted in a worker being off normal duty were not being recorded. They noted reports of injured workers receiving “golden handshake” redundancies from their employers to stop them registering for Workers Compensation and recording the injury.

At one mine, seven people are reported to have left the industry this way over 16 months. At another, 17 workers left with “golden handshakes” in nine years.

And the review’s analysis of statistics from other jurisdictions suggests the practice is shockingly widespread.

Last year’s Queensland Mines and Quarries Annual Safety Performance and Health Report said only three employees had retired from sites because of work injuries.

Data from the Australian Safety and Compensation Council suggests there should have been about 120 cases reported in this period.

The report also criticises the use of the industry’s standard statistic for safety levels – the LTI or lost-time injuries – as “misplaced” and recommends that all injuries be recorded instead.

Another recommendation is regular unannounced safety audits of mines. The State Government has completed nine such audits this year but their failure to systematically check figures provided by mining companies is criticised in the review.

The recommendations will be examined by representatives from the Department of Mines and Energy, the CFMEU, Australian Workers Union, Queensland Resources Council and the mines inspectorate.

The State Government will respond to the report after considering feedback from industry stakeholders who have a deadline of November 30.

Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche welcomed the recommendations but attacked the allegations of “golden handshakes”.

“Claims that people are somehow being paid out through redundancies to make the data look better is rubbish.”

OHS News TIP - Workplace Incident Report Form

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12:00 am, Sunday 21 October, 2007

Source: The Age

THE number of Victorian workers forced to take regular drug tests has doubled in the past year, as employers crack down to improve workplace safety.

Thousands of workers — from miners and truck drivers to council staff — already face mandatory testing, with about one in 30 returning a positive result.

Now, smaller companies are demanding that their employees agree to screening for drug use.

At least 2500 Victorian workers had saliva swabs last year, a figure set to soar, industry experts say.

Michael Wheeldon, the manager of a Victorian drug testing company, Integrity Sampling, said his company had performed about 10,000 tests across Australia last year, mainly in mining, transport and construction, but there was increasing interest from local governments, especially in NSW and South Australia, where some council workers already participate in drug testing.

But a Melbourne City Council spokeswoman, Rachel Hickey, said the council was not considering staff tests at the moment.

Staff at the Victorian offices of several Federal Government agencies are likely to be among the next to have regular oral swabs, according to Mr Wheeldon, who is tendering for the contracts.

While he would not divulge the identities of his smaller clients, Mr Wheeldon said hundreds of companies across Australia used the services of his 50 technicians.

Another Melbourne drug testing company, Pathtech, has reported similar growth in demand.

Calls for random testing of police, and of doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals who have access to drugs, have been made for years. And the drug overdose death in May of Melbourne barrister Peter Hayes, QC, sparked renewed calls for lawyers to face random testing.

But is widespread workplace drug testing really necessary? How many people are under-performing or putting colleagues at risk through drug use? Mr Wheeldon said of a staff of 100, three would have detectable levels of drugs in their system.

Victoria Police have found about one in 50 drivers are under the influence of illicit drugs.

Mr Wheeldon said the tests were not about bosses keeping tabs on social lives, but were to see if employees were fit for work.

“Cannabis is a four-to-six-hour window of detection,” he said. “The other drugs could be up to 24 hours, so the companies are just ensuring that people operating in their business and those around them are safe.”

Jane Wilson, of building giant Grocon, said the company had a pre-employment drug testing policy, but was considering continued screening of staff.

Linfox spokesman Gary Max said the trucking firm had been using a “robust” testing regime for five years, including random testing of staff from “senior management to front line”.

BHP Billiton’s Samantha Evans said the mining giant tested employees across the company, even in head office.

Drug tests at work

■ What is tested for?Cannabis, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamines.

■ How long after consumption are tests positive?For saliva testing, cannabis about four hours, other drugs about 24 hours.

■ Who is testing?

Industries include: mining, construction, transport and local government.

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