10:23 pm, Thursday 14 March, 2013

Staying up to date with what’s happening to your industry while learning injury prevention and management strategies is important. Taking that on board, WorkCover Queensland created the industry sites to provide employers with relevant information on compensation and injury management, as well as industry specific news, events and resources.

Industry sites now available are Agriculture; Construction; Education; Manufacturing; Mining; Health and Community Care; Tourism; and Transport with more to come throughout the year.

WorkCover Queensland’s Communications Advisor, Sarah McAtamney, said they have been working on the idea of the sites from about February 2012. The first site was launched in late May and three more sites were introduced in the two months that followed.

“The idea came about because of the need to get relevant information to an industry,” Ms McAtamney told SafetyCulture. “Different industries have different needs – the industry sites allow us to give specific industry relevant articles and information to our customers without them having to go looking through our website for this.”

“There was also a need for us to integrate our tools and communication. The website is our base of information, however the sites link what’s relevant from the website for that particular industry. These articles are then available in the online services as an RSS linking back to the relevant microsite. People can subscribe to the RSS feed, which means they’ll always know when new content has been added to their industry site.”

She said they want to highlight that work is beneficial for people’s health and wellbeing, and when incorporated into an injured worker’s rehabilitation process, can result to a prompt and sustainable return to work.

“Preventing workplace injuries is fundamental, however, if someone is injured, it’s important to aim for a stay at, or prompt return to work outcome,” she said.

“We also recognise each industry has its own challenges and needs, so the sites are a platform where our customers can access information, tools and resources to help them achieve positive injury management outcomes for injured workers, as well as access general news and events specific to their industry.

“We hope that our employer and provider customers will go to the page, sign up to the RSS so they know when new articles are added. We’re working towards becoming paperless and are working more online, and we’re encouraging our customers to use our online services, which are free, quick and easy to use,” she said.

Those who want to have their event or industry-specific information published on the sites are encouraged to contact their WorkCover Queensland relationship manager or email communications@workcoverqld.com.au.

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05:29 pm, Monday 28 January, 2013

While the rest of Victoria has recorded a decrease in WorkSafe claims in the past three years, claims in Cardinia have increased steadily.

According to a Fairfax Media report, claims in the town have increased from 174 in 2010 to 198 in 2011 and to 220 in 2012, an increase which is more than 26 percent.

“Fifty percent of injuries in Cardinia over the past five years have come from the construction, manufacturing and transport industries,” said WorkSafe spokeswoman Rosanna Bonaccurso told Casey Weekly.

Ms Bonaccurso said many of the workplace injuries were caused by dangerous manual handling, trips and falls. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, back injuries and dislocations.

Workplace injuries recorded low in Victoria in 2012, with only 7.77 people injured for every million hours compared to 7.9 workers in 2011. (Read SafetyCulture Report).

Assistant Treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips through Fairfax Media said inspection and enforcement action by the Victorian WorkCover Authority as well as cooperation from workers and businesses helped reduce fatal accidents.

He also said more work needs to be done to protect workers from workplace injuries and deaths.

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06:18 pm, Wednesday 23 January, 2013

Photo: SafetyCulture Library

A harness racing steward in Albury is in an induced coma after being hit by a horse while a Wodonga saleyards worker was trampled by a cow in separate accidents last week.

According to Fairfax Media, the racing steward was assisting a driver on the Albury showground track adjust a harness before a trial when he was hit by a horse and gig on Tuesday. The victim suffered several injuries in his head and chest and was brought to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.

Fairfax media further reported that the second injured worker was assisting a livestock agent last Wednesday when he was trampled by a 700-kilogram cow.

“The cow continued to attack him by charging at his chest several times and trampling him,” said Wodonga ambulance team manager, Mike Fuery.

The man had bruises and suffered possible internal injuries. He was brought to Albury Hospital. A spokesperson said he was in a stable condition and is still being observed in the hospital.

Northern Victorian Livestock Exchange operations manager James Thompson said the incident was an accident and that the man was an experienced farm worker.

“She was just a cranky cow,” said Mr Thompson.

“There are occupational health and safety issues here, some will be resolved but some you can’t take away because there are always risks with livestock.”

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11:52 am, Wednesday 9 January, 2013

Days off through workplace injury have increased in the Western Australian public sector by 43% this rise has been attributed to an older workforce that is more likely to suffer from trips and slips.

In 2011-2012 government workers in the WA public sector were absent for a total of 153,00 days in order to recover from injuries received in the workplace, this was an increase from 107,000 in the 12 months 2008-2009.

Behind the increase is that injuries are more severe and taking longer to recover from with 28% of the workers needing to be away for more than 60 days.

On average the public servants in WA are 5 years older that the general workforce with nearly 1 in 4 being over the age of 55 according to the Public Sector Commission’s State of the Sector report.

Riskcover, a government insurer, has said that the explanation for more severe injuries and extended recovery times could be that this workforce is getting older.

A spokesperson for the insurer said that older employees are more like to suffer an injury and will generally require a longer period of time to recover.

There were 2836 injuries reported in the last financial year with the most common being soft tissue injuries like muscle strains and back injuries (1090), with the next most common being falls, slips and trips (676) – both up from previous years.

Workers that were hit by a moving object (531) and mental stress (249) decreased in number.

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09:45 pm, Tuesday 6 November, 2012

A Palmyra-based company has been fined $10,000 over an incident at work which resulted in the amputation of a worker’s finger.

The food processing company pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment, and was fined in the Fremantle Magistrates Court last Wednesday.

In February 2010, the worker was operating a mincing machine that had a hopper at the top where meat was fed to be minced.

The worker put 200kg of meat onto a lifting hoist, from which it was dropped into the hopper. He started the machine and climbed onto a stepladder beside the mincing machine to check the amount of meat going down the hopper.

Upon noticing that the meat was only going half way down the hopper and was not reaching the mincing area, he pushed the meat down using his right hand.

His right finger got stuck in the mincing area and he suffered injuries which required his finger to be amputated.

After this incident, the employer removed the stepladder and installed a safety step to access the hopper incorporating a safety switch which prevents the mincer from operating when a worker is standing on the step.

WorkSafe Acting Director Ian Munns said the case was a disappointing example of an employer’s failure in providing workers with sufficient protection from moving parts of a machinery.

“It’s disappointing that the message evidently still has not gotten through that it is never safe to allow the moving parts of machinery to remain operational when workers may have to make adjustments or perform maintenance,” said Mr Munns.

“The court heard that it was reasonably practicable for the company to have either installed guards on the feed hopper of the mincer or installed a safety switch on the machine.

“Subsequent to this incident, the employer installed a safe system of work for this mincer that cost less than $3000 – far less than the total $11,548 the company ended up paying in a fine and costs.

“The machine was made safer too late for the injured worker, who could have been spared the permanent injury he suffered.

“Many workers have been seriously injured or killed when equipment or machinery they were working on has been activated, so it’s absolutely crucial that safe systems of work are in place.

“Guarding of the dangerous moving parts of a machinery is such a basic and easy precaution to take, and it’s disappointing that we continue to see cases where these simple measures are not taken.”

More information on machinery guarding can be obtained through the WorkSafe WA website.

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05:01 pm, Thursday 18 October, 2012

ACT Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe reminded all Canberra workers to be vigilant about workplace safety after a 20-year old apprentice electrician suffered serious injuries from a work-related incident.

The victim was working at the old bus depot in Phillip when he received an electric shock and fell approximately five metres to the ground on September 20. He was brought to the Canberra Hospital. See SafetyCulture report here.

“It proves that dangers lurk in every workplace,” said Mr McCabe.

“An incident of this nature is tragic and my thoughts are with the young man’s family and friends at this time.

“The construction industry is generally considered to be one that involves a high level of risk but it is important to recognise that all workplaces are unsafe if correct systems are not in place and workers become complacent about their own and their fellow workers’ safety.

“I am currently involved in an inquiry into safety on construction sites following a number of fatalities and other incidences in recent times. It is troubling that an incident has occurred in another industry in the ACT,” said Mr McCabe.

“I implore employers and employees, in every workplace, to follow safety procedures at all times. I do not want to see a repeat of the incidences WorkSafe is being called to investigate.”

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05:32 pm, Thursday 23 August, 2012

Photo: ABC North Coast NSW

A farmer suffered burns during a cane burning operation at Nicholson’s Lane, Harwood around 10:30 in the morning.

According to a report from Herald Sun, the farmer suffered burns to his hands, leg and face and was airlifted by rescue helicopter to Lismore Base Hospital. He was later on transferred to Sydney in a critical but stable condition.

A report from ABC News revealed that the 62-year-old farmer was doing a routine cane burn with other farmers on his farm when the incident happened. A spark which escaped from the fire landed on his crop and he was injured whilst trying to save the crop.

One of the farmers who assisted with the burn said the victim used a spray tank on a tractor to put the fire out but instead of reversing went forward into the fire.

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01:06 pm, Monday 16 July, 2012

Marking Farm Safety Week runs today to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries in farms. The campaign comes after eight out of 25 work-related deaths in Victoria last year were on farms.

Ross Pilkington of WorkSafe Victoria said that since three of these deaths involved animal handling, inspectors would be focusing on dairy, beef and sheep cattle farms. Inspectors will also target dangerous machinery and unsafe manual handling.

“More than half of the 478 claims WorkSafe received in the agriculture industry last financial year came from livestock farming, particularly dairy, sheep and beef cattle farming,” said Mr Pilkington.

“Many injuries were caused by workers being hit by moving objects, body stressing, slips, trips and falls and vehicle accidents.”

“We know a number of injuries are not picked up in these figures as many farmers are self-employed and not on the workers’ compensation system.

“Our priority is to ensure workplaces are as safe as possible and that workers get to go homes to loved ones at the end of the day.”

When an incident occurs in a country area, the impact it has on all involved is devastating, profound and long lasting.”

He also stressed some common safety issues identified on farms including machinery without guarding, forklifts without seatbelts, pallet racking being overloaded, poorly stored chemicals, quad bike operators without helmets and tractors without rollover protection.

WorkSafe inspectors will also check if safe systems of work including proper instruction, training and supervision are in place.

“If you’ve got things under control we’ll be in and out very quickly but if you don’t, action to get issues fixed will be taken either through voluntary compliance or through issuing an improvement notice,” said Mr Pilkington.

Farms need to be treated like any other workplace out there, even if it’s a small, family operated business.”

“They don’t have to be dangerous, they can be made safer but it requires a team effort. Taking the time to think through a problem and following it with action could make a huge difference.

WorkSafe offers the following tips to ensure farm safety:

• Make sure your tractor has roll over protection and falling object protection
• If you’re working at height, use a scaffold, elevated work platform or fall protection device. Never travel on top of loads on vehicles or trailers
• Make sure you’re using machinery for the purpose it’s intended. For example, when using a quad bike, ensure it used in line with the manufacturer’s design and specifications. Always wear a helmet and ensure people under the age of 16 do not operate an adult sized quad bike.
• Be aware of the proximity of powerlines  in paddocks where harvesting is underway
• Keep children away from work sites and machinery in operation – particularly during loading and unloading operations
• Fatigue leads to impaired judgement – take regular breaks, drink plenty of fluids and eat nourishing food
• To avoid sun exposure and heat exhaustion, cover up and carry plenty of water.
• When tarping grain or covering loads on vehicles, be aware of the weather forecast and avoid working in high winds.
• If you’re doing manual tasks like lifting heavy or awkward objects on or off vehicles, use a vehicle loading arm to prevent muscle and bone injuries
• If you’re working alone, always let someone know where you are and your expected time of return.

More information on farm safety can be found on the WorkSafe VIC website.

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