12:08 pm, Sunday 31 August, 2008

This year’s Safety Show Sydney will focus on safety solutions for the building and construction industry, with a special feature area that incorporates height safety equipment, scaffolding nets, appliance tagging and testing, safety and isolation switches and power distribution cords.

Regarded as one of Australia’s most dangerous industries, building and construction has a workplace death toll twice the Australian average.

The convention, which showcases the latest in safety technology, will be held from October 28 to 30 at the Sydney Showground. It will be held alongside Sydney Materials Handling, a show dedicated to load, move and shift solutions.

The two events are expected to host more than 350 occupational health and safety specialists offering everything from asbestos removal to warehouse management systems.

WorkCover NSW will also run a series of free workshops on workplace safety issues.

OHS News Tip: Residential Construction Industry Work Method Statements
OHS News Tip: Commercial Construction Industry Work Method Statements

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07:50 am, Sunday 31 August, 2008

After a 16 month investigation, WorkSafe WA will prosecute 8 companies, including Fortescue Metals Group,  the company of Australia’s richest man, Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest,  in connection with two deaths and serious injuries to seven others at a Pilbara construction camp during Cyclone George in March 2007.

The companies to be prosecuted are Spotless P & F, Pilbara Infrastructure, BGC Contracting, Laing O’Rourke, Spunbrood, WorleyParsons, Spotless Services and FMG.

The companies face a total of 49 charges under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984, including failure to provide and maintain a safe working environment, failure to maintain accommodation and failing to ensure temporary structures could withstand potential cyclones.

Severe winds destroyed temporary accommodation at the construction camp, 100km south of Port Hedland, which was part of FMG’s $3 billion Pilbara mine and infrastructure development.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne said that the large number of charges demonstrated the breadth of occupational safety and health responsibilities.

The cyclone deaths prompted the issuing of two Safety Bulletins and reminders to local government authorities about WorkSafe’s reporting requirements for building and construction projects.

The charges carry fines ranging from $200,000 to $400,000.

OHS News Tip: Commercial Construction Industry Work Method Statement

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07:35 am, Sunday 31 August, 2008

Source: Adelaide Now

The state’s most powerful union boss, from a Labor faction that offered crucial support for WorkCover laws, has been given a $50,000-a-year post on the WorkCover board.

The Advertiser understands Peter Malinauskas, who replaced Right factional heavyweight Senator Don Farrell as secretary of the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, will be appointed within weeks.

The deal to get Mr Malinauskas on the board was secured this month by former industrial relations minister Michael Wright, a member of the Right, before he lost responsibility for WorkCover to Paul Caica, of the Left, in last week’s Cabinet reshuffle.

The new WorkCover laws caused a deep factional split in the Labor Party but Premier Mike Rann won the day with the help of key Right figures in convincing ALP members the laws were necessary.

Deep divisions over WorkCover still exist.

The Government faces a censure motion, moved by the Australian Workers’ Union, at the ALP state convention on August 16.

Mr Malinauskas would replace SA Unions secretary Janet Giles. She quit the board in February in protest at the new laws.

By law, the board must consist of nine members. Among requirements are that “two members must be appointed in consultation with worker interests”.

Mr Caica is understood to have met the board yesterday but he would make no comment.

Mr Malinauskas yesterday said: “I have not had any discussions with the Government about this for the past fortnight. I’m still waiting and I haven’t heard anything official, so I’m just not in a position to be able to provide any comment.”

Opposition Upper House MP Rob Lucas said the appointment was “typical of the Rann Government’s arrogance when WorkCover is facing a $1 billion unfunded liability crisis”.

OHS News Tip: Workplace Safety Work Method Statement

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07:35 am, Thursday 28 August, 2008

Source: WA Today

A worker at an Alcan refinery was “catapulted” to his death on the same day his baby girl “laughed for the first time”, a Darwin court has heard.

Spray painter Daniel Aaron Burman, 33, was hurled 10 metres from an elevated platform on April 23 last year, after the machinery supporting him became unstable.

A second man was injured in the fall at the Gove alumina refinery in north-east Arnhem Land.

Alcan has pleaded guilty to two charges under the Mines Management Act – failing to conduct regular maintenance and failing to ensure machinery was operated by a qualified worker – and faces a maximum fine of more than $1 million.

At the time of the accident, the company was owned by Canadian aluminium giant Alcan, which admitted on Thursday that Mr Burman and his co-workers did not have proper training.

The Alcan group has since been taken over by Rio Tinto.

Alcan also conceded the machine Mr Burman fell from, an 800AJ Boom Lift, was not adequately maintained, with a safety check the day before the tragedy called off because of windy conditions.

“These failures were a cause of the accident which resulted in the death of Daniel Burman,” prosecutor Tom Anderson told Darwin Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

“(The boom lift) hit the ground … the impact had a catapult effect.

“Burman fell out of his harness because he was not wearing it properly. He fell 10 metres to the ground and died almost instantly.”

In a victim impact statement tendered to the court, Mr Burman’s partner Sheree Leanne Russell said their 12-week-old daughter “laughed for the first time” earlier that day.

“I tried to call Daniel so that he could hear her, but his phone went straight to message bank,” she said.

“I did not think anything of it, as I knew that he was working on fuel tanks, so his phone would probably be switched off.”

Ms Russell said she went into shock when she found out about the accident.

“Daniel and I were trying for another baby … We talked about getting married, travelling around Australia and buying our own place,” she said.

OHS News Tip: Elevated Work Platform Work Method Statements

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07:21 am, Thursday 28 August, 2008

A national increase in glassings in licensed venues has put pressure on nightclubs to replace glass with plastic.
A licensed city venue has trialled a no-glass policy in its upstairs nightclub, following a call for from Channel Nine’s A Current Affair for a national ban on glass pots in such venues.
Th issue was highlighted by an alleged attack with a glass at a Geelong nightclub on the weekend.

City mayor Bruce Harwood said it would be a sad indictment on the community if nightclubs were forced to remove glassware to stop the dangerous attacks.

But, he said it was something that the nightlife industry would have to consider.

OHS News Tip: Workplace Safe Work Method Statements

Report by Julia Alder, OHS News Reporter – Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

07:37 am, Wednesday 27 August, 2008

A construction and engineering company has been fined  $31,825 for workplace breaches after a worker fell to the bottom of a maintenance shaft when a ladder collapsed on 1 April 2005.
The worker was climbing into a shaft to inspect newly built sewer mains. During his descent, the portable extension ladder gave way, and the worker fell nearly five metres to the floor of the shaft.

Work safety authorities were not notified until five days after the incident
The worker was forced to make his own way up out of the shaft despite having sustained serious injuries.

According to SafeWork SA, the ladder had a twisted leg and was missing a rubber boot and bottom rung.

The court found various workplace safety breaches had occurred, including:

• no risk assessment of the task had been performed;
• no entry permit system was in place;
• no training had been given;
• no rescue plan was in place;
• no first aid equipment was on site.

The magistrate noted even though the company had committed itself to workplace safety, a commitment did not count for much if it was not backed up by a structured and proactive attitude to all work.

OHS News Tip: Ladder Safe Work Method Statements
OHS News Tip: Workplace Safe Work Method Statements

Report by Julia Alder, OHS News Reporter – Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

07:26 am, Wednesday 27 August, 2008

Worksafe and Police are investigating an incident where a mechanic died of head and chest injuries after being crushed under a bus.

The man and another mechanic had been called out to work on the vehicle, which had broken down on a busy Melbourne road after its brakes had seized.

The victim was working under the bus when he disengaged the brakes, causing it to roll over him.
The bus company’s manager said roadside repairs were relatively common and the company’s maintenance teams had performed hundreds of them over the years without problems.

OHS News Tip: Vehicle Accident Safe Work Method Statements

Report by Julia Alder, OHS News Reporter – Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

07:24 am, Wednesday 27 August, 2008

Investigations are underway into the death of a worker at a BHP owned Pilbara mine site on Tuesday night.

The worker was a fly-in, fly-out employee who died from injuries sustained while operating equipment at the Yandi mine.

The incident occurred during the night in an industrial workshop.

It is the second fatality at a WA BHP mine in less than a month.  A worker was killed at the company’s Port Hedland iron ore loading facility.

During the last financial year, 11 employees were killed at various BHP sites around the world. BHP Chief Executive Marius Kloppers earlier this month expressed disappointment with the safety record of the world’s biggest mining house and said safety in the company needed to improve.

OHS News Tip: Workplace Safe Work Method Statements

Report by Julia Alder, OHS News Reporter – Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

07:19 am, Wednesday 27 August, 2008

Source: The West

Investigations are underway into the death of a man at a Pilbara mine site last night.

The resources safety division of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection has begun investigations into the death of the fly-in,fly-out employee who died from injuries sustained in an incident at the Yandi mine, 140km north of Newman.

Newman Police remain at the scene and officer in charge Geoff Stewart said the man died from injuries he received while operating equipment.

“I can’t go into details about it at this stage,” he said.

“First aid was attempted but his injuries were quite significant and he died at the scene.”

A BHP Billiton Iron Ore spokesman said the 29-year-old man was from Mandurah and his family had been notified.

The spokesman said the incident occurred during the night in an industrial workshop and an investigation, which would take days, was underway.

The Yandi mine is operated by HWE Mining. Operations have been suspended.

“The onsite emergency team has been activated and external emergency services are at the scene,” the spokesman said.

Counselling services will be provided to workers.

OHS News Tip: Workplace Safe Work Method Statements

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07:16 am, Wednesday 27 August, 2008

WorkCover is investigating an incident where a ship builder was overcome by fumes and died while working on a boat in a factory in Russell Vale yesterday.

The man was found unconscious by a fellow employee in the hull of a catamaran he was helping to build.

He had been working with solvents and was not wearing any breathing apparatus.

OHS News Tip: Chemical Handling Safe Work Method Statement

Report by Julia Alder, OHS News Reporter – Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know