A Queensland asbestos remediation business has faced the Southport Magistrates Court for failing to comply with a non-disturbance notice relating to asbestos-containing material and a lack of an appropriate license.
Sydney worker critically injured after 10m fall
A worker has been injured after falling ten metres from a roof at a workplace in south-western Sydney. Emergency services including four ambulance crews and a specialist medical team attended
Family “outraged” over decision not to prosecute workplace death
The family of a worker fatally burned in a workplace incident at the Yallourn Power Station in 2018 say they’re “outraged” by the decision of the state’s workplace safety regulator
Farm safety key focus; $3.3M from NSW budget
The NSW Government has announced that it is committing $3.3 million in funding to improve safety on farms across the state. Kevin Anderson, the Minister for Better Regulation, explained that
$330K in fines after ‘gross negligence’ caused amputation at recycling plant
A Western Australian waste recycling company has been fined more than $330,000, and an additional $234,000 in costs after they were found guilty of gross negligence in the Perth Magistrates
$16K in fines for improperly demolishing asbestos-containing building
A specialist demolition company has appeared in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court, facing six charges under the WHS Regulations for improper removal of asbestos-containing material. The charges relate to work the
Mine site structures under fire after collapse in QLD
Structures on Queensland mine sites are likely to be the focus for the state’s safety regulator, after a workshop and large shed was flattened in a storm in the state
IAQ new frontier for fighting COVID transmission
As we adjust to the new COVID normal, with hand hygiene and masks now widely used, scientists are now looking to the ventilation and air quality of our workplaces and
QLD not-for-profit fined $100K over incident with golf cart
A Brisbane not-for-profit has faced the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court after an incident with a golf cart seriously injured a young child. The legal proceedings were brought by Workplace Health
Induction failure leads to $20,000 fine for aged care provider
Aged care provider Baptcare Ltd has appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on one count of failing to ensure non-employees were not exposed to health and safety risks. The company pleaded
Workers injured after falling through glass ceiling in Sydney
Two workers have been injured after one worker fell through a glass ceiling at a construction site in St Leonards, North Sydney yesterday. The worker fell through the glass, which
Worker killed at WA strawberry farm
A worker has been killed in a workplace incident at a strawberry farm north-east of Perth, in Bullsbrook. The incident occurred around 9:30 on Wednesday at a ‘pick your own’
$150K fine over crush fatality
A North Queensland diesel-mechanical repair and cane harvesting business has been fined $150,000 following an incident from 2017, which saw a worker fatally crushed while attempting to repair a cane
Inquiry begins in NSW into health & safety of gig economy workers
It has been revealed that gig economy workers across Sydney are only receiving limited health and safety advice from the food delivery platforms they work with, according to the NSW
Victoria’s healthcare workers in COVID second wave “one of the highest incidences of occupational illness and disease”
The Victorian second wave of COVID-19 has been well reported, but as the wave subsides and the state records more than a week without new cases or fatalities, attention has
World-first silicosis strategy launched in NSW
Today the NSW Government launched a world-first trial of new tech, designed to more accurately monitor the levels of silica dust in the air that poses a risk to the
La Nina forecast signals rise in mould infestations
The long-range summer forecast for eastern Australia is predicting warm and wet conditions, and environmental biologists are warning that the mix of rainy conditions and high temperatures means that many
Worker crushed under vehicle in Sydney’s Inner West
A man has been crushed under a car while completing work at Sydney’s Summer Hill. NSW Police have confirmed that emergency services workers attended the scene around 2 pm on
Works at Charles Darwin University site halted after asbestos uncovered
The $250m construction project at Charles Darwin University in Darwin has been delayed after asbestos was discovered during excavation works at the site. Signage has been erected at the site,
QLD researches begin ‘world first’ trial in treatment for silicosis
Queensland researchers are leading a global race to treat rising numbers of silicosis, commonly acquired from exposure to silica-containing materials while working with engineered stone products. The world-first treatment has
NSW solar farm issued 13 improvement notices over worker safety
SafeWork NSW has issued 13 improvement notices to the company which is installing solar panels at a new solar farm in Central-Western NSW, near Dubbo. The improvement notices relate to
Worker pulled out of a six-metre deep hole at construction site
A worker at a Brisbane construction site has been taken to hospital after falling six metres down a hole at the site in Wolloongabba around 9 o’clock this morning. Mark
Warning issued over incidents in NT
The Northern Territory workplace safety regulator has issued a warning regarding the importance of conducting risk assessments after two serious incidents were reported in as many days. The first incident
Unplanned explosion at underground mine in SA
SafeWork South Australia has reminded mining operators across the state about the importance of developing, maintaining and implementing safe systems of work. The reminder comes after a recorded incident at
Meatworks fined over incident that saw worker fall into near-boiling water
JBS Australia, the country’s largest meat processing company, has been fined $150,000 over an incident in November of 2016. Four years since the incident, the young worker at the centre
Blue Mountains council and former tip workers butt heads over asbestos exposure claims
Five workers who were previously employed at the Katoomba tip in the Blue Mountains have spoken out, after they were exposed to asbestos-containing material during their employment. All five men
Workplace fatality at Yarraville, VIC
A worker has been confirmed as killed after being run over by a truck and trailer at a Yarraville transport depot on Wednesday last week. Early reports indicate that the
Calls for national approach to silicosis prevention strategies
A Canberra stonemason is speaking up about the risks of working with engineered stone products after he was diagnosed with chronic simple silicosis at 35 years old. He explained that
British sound engineer sues over asbestos exposure following mesothelioma diagnosis
A former sound engineer is suing British broadcaster, ITV, over alleged asbestos exposure at their former Southbank studio. John Sanders, now 81, believes he was exposed to and inhaled toxic
Worker injured in gas cylinder explosion
A Queensland worker has been transported to hospital after an incident where a gas cylinder exploded. The man, 41, from Pittsworth, west of Brisbane, sustained serious burns to his face.
New cameras installed after illegal asbestos dumps
Residents in the South Australian suburb of Campbelltown have been put on notice over illegal asbestos dumping, with the council installing mobile surveillance cameras as part of a trial to
$600,000 EU for rollaway fatality incident
Following the fatal injuring of a bus driver in 2017, Northern Territory’s Buslink NT Pty Ltd has agreed to a $600,000 enforceable undertaking with the territory’s workplace safety regulator. NT
New laws for dust diseases pass in NSW
New legislation that will regulate the tracking, response and prevention of dust diseases like silicosis and asbestosis has been passed through NSW Parliament. Kevin Anderson, the Minister for Better Regulation
Tasmania encouraged to consider industrial manslaughter legislation
The Tasmanian Government is under pressure to update workplace safety legislation to include industrial manslaughter, with the Australian Lawyers Alliance pushing to allow the prosecution of PCBUs for workplace deaths.
Businesses put on notice after WorkSafe blitz
As Victoria looks to easing restrictions and metro Melbourne opens back up, SafeWork is reminding businesses that they need to be enacting and enforcing COVID-safe work plans. In a recent
Workplace fall from height in Rydalmere, Sydney
A worker is in hospital this afternoon after falling off the roof of a two-storey home in Rydalmere, in Sydney’s northwest. The tradesman, in his forties, was working on the
Worker killed at Geelong workshop
A worker was discovered at a North Shore workplace, near Geelong in Victoria, on Friday after suffering fatal injuries. It is believed the man in his seventies was working alone,
WorkSafe QLD investigating incident at ride at Cairns Showgrounds
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
