07:58 pm, Saturday 29 August, 2009

WorkSafe is investigating an incident where an Exploding Oxygen Tank caused extensive burns to a factory worker in Melbourne’s north yesterday afternoon.

The man suffered burns to 25 per cent of his body when the cylinder exploded, an ambulance spokesperson said.

It is understood the man was filling a bank of nine oxygen bottles used in the health care industry when the explosion happened.

The valve and shoulder of an oxygen cylinder were blown off in the blast.

Paramedics said they found the victim, believed to be in his 30s, in a significant amount of pain.

The man was taken to hospital in a stable condition.

Two other men suffered shock following the incident.

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

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

08:05 am, Saturday 29 August, 2009

The state’s safety laws will be challenged in the High Court next month. NSW imposes on employers an absolute duty of care to provide a safe workplace. This is unlike other states, where employers only have to do what is “reasonably practicable.” Further, there is no right of appeal from the NSW Industrial Court to the civil or criminal courts. So in NSW, the employer’s duty applies even in circumstances where employees are hasty, careless or disobedient. In 2006, a hobby farmer was fined $110,000 by the NSW Industrial Relations Commission after a part-time farm manager was killed while moving heavy steel using an All-Terrain Vehicle. The hobby farmer contended he had no farming experience, and took no part in the running of the farm due to ill health. The accident occurred when the manager hitched the steel incorrectly to the vehicle – to its racks rather than its tow bar. He also chose not to stick to a sealed road, driving the vehicle down a short-cut steep hillside instead. He was killed when the Vehicle Overturned. The Commission found that the hobby farmer had failed to establish a system to prevent the risk of the heavy terrain vehicle overturning when driven off the road or when used for towing. This was desipite warnings on displayed on the front and back racks of the vehicle that they should not be used for towing. A new national system for OH&S laws is about to replace the current state-based workplace safety system. The proposed system adopts the “reasonable practicable” duty, contrary to the NSW system, placing the burden of proof on prosecutors rather than employers. Report by OHS News Reporter Julia Alder – Do you have an OHS News Story – Let us know

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

08:05 am, Saturday 29 August, 2009

Three people have been injured after scaffolding fell from a truck on the F3 freeway at NSW’s Central Coast on Thursday.

Other vehicles, including a water tanker, swerved to avoid the fallen materials, causing a pile-up on the freeway near the Hawkesbury River Bridge at Mooney Mooney.

The Roads and Traffic Authority reported major delays on the southbound lanes heading to Sydney.

Emergency services attended the scene.

“Three patients are being attended to. They have minor injuries,” a NSW Ambulance Service spokesman said.

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

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

08:05 am, Saturday 29 August, 2009

A Plumbing Employer and an Excavator have been fined a combined $65,000 over a work accident which left a young footballer brain-injured.

The man was working in a trench as a plumber at a property in 2006 when sand collapsed around him and a brick pillar hit him on the head.

The court found the man’s employer and an excavator had failed to provide a safe workplace.

They were fined $32,000 and $34,000 respectively.

The injured man spent a week in a coma and had brain surgery twice.

He had moved to South Australia to play football but could no longer play any contact sport or work as a plumber.

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

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

08:05 am, Wednesday 26 August, 2009

A timber faller was fatally hit by a Bulldozer on Saturday night near Port Macquarie.

The 34-year-old stumbled into the darkened path of the bulldozer and slipped on uneven ground.

The bulldozer was being used to push timber into a bonfire at a buck’s party and the ground had been made uneven by the bulldozer as it reinforced the fire.

The man died instantly from the impact of the bulldozer’s tracks on his head.

“They had headlights on so the bulldozer driver knew where he was going… the deceased had moved away from the group and where he was there was no light,” Detective Acting Inspector Fehon said.

A friend said, “He worked seven days a week in the bush as a timber faller, we’re all trying to come to grips with his death because he’s always worked with machinery and in hazardous conditions.”

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

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

08:05 am, Wednesday 26 August, 2009

Queensland Workplace Health And Safety is investigating an accident at the University of Queensland that occurred on Tuesday afternoon. A crane fell on a wing of the partly constructed $100 million School of Veterinary Science, although no damage to the building occurred.

A Crane fell on a wing of the partly constructed $100 million School of Veterinary Science, although no damage to the building occurred.

No-one was injured, but scaffolding around the building was damaged.

A spokesman for the site operators said people on site and in a nearby building were evacuated as a safety measure.

A second crane was used to remove the crane from the site.

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

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

08:05 am, Tuesday 25 August, 2009

NT WorkSafe is investigating the death of a 20-year-old man at McArthur River Mine, 900 kilometres south-east of Darwin.

The man died while working near a workshop at the mine, which is operated by Xstrata.

Police say they were notified of the death late Friday afternoon by the mine’s local health clinic.

Workplace inspectors are expected to visit the site today.

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

07:48 am, Tuesday 25 August, 2009

WorkSafe authorities are investigating the evacuation of dozens of workers from an Oil Rigin the Timor Sea off north-western Australia on Friday.

An oil leak at a mobile offshore drilling unit owned by Norway’s SeaDrill Ltd caused the evacuation. The size of the spill is not known, but about 40 barrels of oil were discharged from the wellhead
into the sea, which may cover eight kilometres of ocean.

The workers were evacuated to Darwin. No one was injured.

The leak included condensate, an extra light grade of crude oil and Poisonous Hydrogen Sulfide.

A national clean-up plan has been activated to deal with the incident.

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

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

02:27 pm, Monday 24 August, 2009

Workplace Health And Safety QLD is investigating an accident on Monday where a man survived being hit by a 20-Tonne Grader during a workplace accident.

A driver operating the Earthmoving Equipment at roadworks outside Cairns, reversed into the worker.

The man was testing soil in a hole when he was hit from behind by the grader.

Two of the machine’s wheels ran over the man before the driver was able to stop the grader.

The man was taken to hospital with a possible fracture to his pelvis.

A spokeswoman for Downer EDi, the company doing the roadworks, said yesterday the injured man and the driver of the grader were contractors and not employees. She said the matter was being investigated by the company.

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

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

02:27 pm, Monday 24 August, 2009

Workplace Health And Safety Queensland Has Launched A Concrete Pumping compliance campaign.

The campaign aims to build and promote safe and healthy work practices within the concrete pumping industry.

The campaign has been developed in response to an increase in the number of concrete pumps across the state, a rise in serious injuries and fatalities, and the use of cheaper quality equipment.

Worksafe inspectors will visit concrete pump owners and operators during August and September to distribute information kits.

Inspectors will then conduct audits to ensure the owners are complying with the Concrete Pumping Code of Practice 2005 and Australian Standards AS1418.15 and AS 2550.15.

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

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