The cause of an incident at the Cairns showgrounds during which a woman plummeted several metres from a ride, is yet to be determined as authorities continue to investigate. The
Calls for greater powers for EPA after “paltry” fine for asbestos pollution
The NSW branch of the Environmental Protection Authority recently fined Sunset Power International Pty Ltd $30,000 over an asbestos pollution incident from 2018. The incident involved a large stockpile of asbestos-containing
Fine over fall from heights risk after several prohibition notices
A Western Australian tyre company and one of the company’s directors have received $70,000 in fines after appearing in court and pleading guilty to failing to provide and maintain a
$40K fine over crush injury, degloving incident
A company has appeared in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court, Queensland, for failing to ensure the health and safety of its workers, resulting in exposure to the risk of death or
Town of Asbestos renamed
The town of Asbestos, Quebec, has been renamed. Moving forward, the town will be known as Val-des-Sources, or valley of the springs, rather than the mineral that was mined in
Warning issued for farmers after two fatalities and an amputation
The annual harvest period has begun in New South Wales’ Riverina region, with warnings from safety regulators after a series of critical incidents. SafeWork NSW health and safety manager for
Brisbane business fined $60,000 over partial amputation
A Brisbane business that provides warehousing, distribution and transport services has been fined over an incident which left a worker with a partially amputated thumb. The incident occurred in November
Child hospitalised after exposure to mouldy bath toy water
An American mother has issued a warning to parents of small children after a bath toy led to her son spending a week in hospital. The “tub toy”, a rubber
Cairns business facing $1.5M in fines over workplace death
A business from Cairns has been charged over the death of a worker who fell 8 metres, and the application for the prosecution to provide more details has been dismissed.
Significant EU enacted in NZ over near-fatal accident
An enforceable undertaking has been enacted for one of New Zealand’s largest stevedoring companies, following a near-fatal accident in December of 2017. The incident occurred when the stevedore was climbing
Historic contamination at Hunters Hill to be remediated
A Sydney woman, who was orphaned at the age of four, believes that the deaths of her parents – who both died from cancer, within months of each other –
New SafeWork data shows rise in prosecutions
Construction sites across NSW are under increasing scrutiny as the numbers of WHS prosecutions rises, with a significant number of workers being injured or killed at sites across the state.
WorkSafe visited Curtin University site three times
It has been revealed that the Western Australia workplace safety regulator visited a construction site at Curtin Univerity three times before the death of a worker earlier this week. WorkSafe
New silicosis prevention strategy enters NSW Parliament
A new strategy to prevent the spread of silicosis is being prepared in NSW, but many workers already affected believe it’s too late. One stonemason who spoke with the ABC
Two men fined for asbestos dumping after covert operation
Two men were due to face the Joondalup Magistrates Court over charges of dumping asbestos-containing material in Jandabup in January of 2019. The men, Roald Morvinson and Zach Lee were
Three Canberra homes found to contain asbestos insulation, with more expected
A retired electrician in Canberra has discovered that his home has discovered his home is insulated with the notorious Mr Fluffy loose-fill asbestos insulation. The man had a small amount
$200K fine over accident that could have “crushed worker to death”
A Sydney demolition company has been fined in the NSW District Court over an incident in 2017 that saw a young worker run over by an excavator, suffering massive injuries.
Worker killed after roof collapse at WA university
Image via the ABC A worker has been killed in a devastating workplace incident on Tuesday afternoon after a building ceiling collapsed at Curtin University’s Bentley Campus. Emergency services crews
BHP mine exceeds dust levels, concerns for nearby residents
Recently, residents in the Western Australian town of Newman, part of the state’s Pilbara region, voiced concerns over the levels of dust in the town, largely resulting from nearby mining
$65K fine after heat-related death in North QLD
A sole trader in North Queensland has been fined $65,000 over an incident in 2017 that resulted in the death of a worker due to heat-related illness. The employer faced
Australia’s largest waste management company under fire from EPA
A waste management company has come under fire from the NSW Environmental Protection Authority, over a range of concerns regarding its operations and alleged ‘zero harm’ safety policy. Cleanaway Waste
Worker killed at feed mill in SA
A worker at a feed mill facility north of Adelaide died after an incident at the site yesterday afternoon. Emergency services were called to a feed mill on the Stuart
Maximum penalty imposed in Victorian workplace fatality case
A Victorian road maintenance company and its director have been fined over an incident in 2017 which killed a truck driver in West Gippsland. Valley Sweep Pty Ltd and company
Critical workplace accident in Western Sydney
A 61-year-old worker has been critically injured after a workplace incident in St Marys, Western Sydney, yesterday. Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 1 pm after reports
$1M fine for Victorian paper mill over the death of two workers
A paper mill in Ettamogah, near Albury, in NSW has been fined $1 million over an incident in 2018 which saw two workers killed after they were overcome by hydrogen
Crane collapses onto Kiama Downs home
Several workers at a construction site in the Illawarra region have had a near-miss after a crane fell onto the site during operations this morning. As many as six workers
Severed hand after workplace incident near Newcastle
A worker remains in the John Hunter Hospital this afternoon after he severed his hand at a Baiada chicken processing facility in Beresfield, north of Newcastle, this morning. Following reports
Worker killed at Melbourne business
A worker has died following a workplace incident at Clayton South, in Melbourne’s south-east. The worker, who was working at a printing and marketing business, died in hospital after the
Alert issued after burst paint can causes fire on drill rig
WorkSafe Victoria has issued a safety alert regarding the management of risks associated with fires on mobile plant equipment in quarries and mines. The alert comes after an incident at
Five workers injured in sulphur incident
Five workers are recovering in Dunedin Hospital following a workplace accident involving sulphur at a Ravensdown plant, east of the Dunedin CBD. Emergency services were notified just before 10 am
Two delivery drivers killed while working across Sydney in one week
Two delivery riders have died in separate incidents in Sydney in the past week, according to the Transport Workers Union. The union confirmed that the two men died while working for
QLD company faces court over uncovered chute fall
A Queensland construction company, along with its director, have attended the Brisbane Magistrates Court, to answer to charges of failing to comply with health and safety duties. The charges relate
Safe Work Month begins today
The national safety regulator has today launched its 2020 initiative for Safe Work Month, which runs until the end of October. SafeWork Australia has run a national campaign for eleven
Melbourne suburbs’ air quality report shows “widespread” pollution issue
A report released by a Melbourne air quality monitoring organisation has shown a “widespread and alarming problem” in the city’s inner western suburbs, particularly throughout Maribyrnong, Brimbank and Hobsons Bay
WA residents worried over air quality concerns for town near Wittenoom
The Western Australian government is considering what action it will take over the dust that is coating Pilbara town, Newman, with residents concerned that the dust, which comes from nearby
WA MP diagnosed with asbestosis
West Australian MP Robin Chapple, member for the state’s upper house has revealed he has been diagnosed with asbestosis. In his late twenties, he worked at the notorious Wittenoom asbestos
Second scaffolding safety blitz in NSW after poor results
NSW construction sites have been put on notice again, after an initial blitz on workplace safety around scaffolding and working from heights saw more than 800 notices issued by the
Worker killed in crush incident near Dubbo, NSW
An elderly worker has died in a critical incident in Tenandra, near Dubbo, on Monday afternoon. The worker was killed when a large piece of machinery fell from a truck
Ardent leisure receive “the largest fine in Queensland history” for WHS breaches
The parent company of the Gold Coast’s Dreamworld, Ardent Leisure, has been handed a $3.6 million fine over an incident in 2016 which killed four people. Ardent Leisure pleaded guilty
Worker in critical condition after electrocution
A worker has been transported to hospital this afternoon after receiving an electric shock in inner Adelaide this afternoon. Critical care ambulance workers and the Metropolitan Fire Service attended the
Blue Mountains air quality monitoring project cancelled despite dangerous levels over summer
Residents in NSW’s Blue Mountains are continuing to lobby for “vital” air quality testing to continue in the region for five more years. Throughout 2019, eleven air quality stations were
Crane collapses over homes in East London
The British health and safety regulator, the HSE, has confirmed it is investigating the death of an 85-year-old woman and the injuries sustained by four people when a 65ft crane
Air quality monitoring in place after fire at former site of asbestos stockpile
Residents in Melbourne’s north-west have been warned of concerning air quality after a fire started at a tip on Sunbury Road in Bulla on Tuesday morning. Thirteen fire crews attended
Two workplace fatalities recorded in WA in as many days
The Western Australian safety regulator, WorkSafe, has confirmed that it investigating two separate workplace incidents in regional areas over the weekend. In the first incident, a 55-year-old truck driver was
Another development site in NSW contaminated with illegally dumped asbestos
In the latest in a string of illegal dumping of asbestos-containing waste, the Environment Protection Authority has revealed that Maas Group Properties, alleged of having transported waste to a housing
Toowoomba family living in backyard after asbestos contamination
A family of six in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, have been forced to relocate to caravans in the backyard of their home after a pay-television installer accidentally drilled a hole
Sydney development latest in string of asbestos-containing fill dumping
One of Sydney’s newest large-scale residential building projects has been the victim of asbestos-contaminated waste, which has been dumped across the Oran Park suburb. Whistleblowers came to The Guardian, with reports
“Vandals” dump truck load of asbestos sheeting in Northern NSW
Image via Facebook Unknown people, labelled as “careless environmental vandals” have dumped a load of asbestos sheeting down a roadside gully in North Tumbulgum, in the Tweed region of Northern
Asbestos confirmed in Queensland park
A park in Warwick, south-west of Brisbane, has been confirmed as containing asbestos, following a council investigation last week. Southern Downs Regional Council has confirmed that bonded asbestos material was
DIY renovators warned to be aware of asbestos risks
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released a report into the levels of mesothelioma in the country, which showed that 724 people died across the country last year
