WHS regulators Australia-wide have urged businesses and workers to stay vigilant in the lead-up to the holidays and to maintain focus on health and safety across all workplaces. WorkSafe WA
Two volunteer firefighters killed south-west of Sydney overnight
Two volunteers from the Rural Fire Service in NSW have died after the vehicle they were in rolled, as they fought a fire in Buxton, south-west of Sydney, late Thursday
Fine increased on appeal over deaths of two workers
Criscon Pty Ltd, the contractor found responsible for the deaths of two workers at a construction job at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane, has had the initial fine increased on
Trade Unions release new guidelines over heat, smoke exposure
The Australian Council of Trade Unions will today release new guidelines to address unprecedented threats to workplace safety due to the extreme heat and pollution due to the current bushfire
187 workplace breaches at manufactured stone businesses
SafeWork NSW continues its crackdown on silica-related workplace safety breaches, with three out of four manufactured stone worksites in NSW issued with breach notices over the last five years. The
SafeWork adjusts exposure standards for respirable crystalline silica
SafeWork Australia has announced that it has reduced the recommended workplace exposure standards for respirable crystalline silica. The reduction sees the standard brought down from 0.1 mg/m3 to the significantly
Silicosis sufferer denied TPD payout
A Queensland stonemason who has been diagnosed with silicosis has been refused a lump sum payout under his total permanent disability insurance. Garry Moratti was a stonemason from the age
Worker killed after fall at Port Adelaide worksite
A worker has been killed after a fall from a roof at an industrial steel business in Port Adelaide. The incident occurred just before 11:00 am on Saturday and police
CFMMEU fined over bogus safety concerns
The CFMMEU and two of its officials have had $156,900 in penalties imposed upon them in the Federal Circuit Court in Sydney after they falsified safety concerns and organised work
250 incidents during light rail testing phase
While Sydney’s new light rail system opened over the weekend to some growing pains, it has been revealed that during the testing phase, 250 separate “hazardous events” were recorded. Internal
SafeWork hits Jetstar with improvement notice
SafeWork NSW has issued Jetstar with an improvement notice over conditions for the ground crew at Sydney airport. It comes as workers commenced industrial action over understaffing. The notice was
Increased asbestos risk after storm
Timaru in New Zealand, south-west of Christchurch, was a victim to a freak storm several weeks ago, and asbestos inspection agencies are concerned about the threat to public safety. Building
$400,000 fine issued over workplace death
A regional Victorian steel fabrication workshop has received a conviction and a $400,000 after the death of a worker on their site in 2016. SJ & TA Structural Pty Ltd
Multiple safety breaches revealed prior to death of worker
It has been revealed that the Bootu Creek mine site had three dangerous wall collapses and 17 complaints were made to NT Worksafe in the year preceding the death of
‘Worst ever’ air pollution in Sydney
While Sydneysiders have taken to wearing face masks as the city struggles through it’s ‘worst ever’ recorded air pollution levels, NSW Health is warning people that the masks “might not
Climate change emergency declared by lung health body
The seriousness of the NSW air quality amidst the bushfire crisis has forced the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand to release a ‘Declaration on Climate Change’, decisively calling
Sydney workers abandon sites due to hazardous air quality
According to the NSW branch of the CFMMEU, thousands of construction workers have abandoned their worksites across the Greater Sydney region. NSW Secretary Darren Greenfield estimated that the numbers were
Falls from heights safety in focus after three serious incidents
The Victorian workplace regulator, WorkSafe, is urging PCBUs to take fall risks seriously after several incidents last week left three workers with severe injuries in hospital. On Wednesday last week,
Illegal dumping operation uncovered; so big it distorted national waste disposal market
A former truck driver has been revealed as the mastermind behind a scheme of illegally dumping industrial waste that was so large it affected the national toxic waste disposal market.
300-tonne crane flips at Parramatta construction site
A 300-tonne crane has fallen onto its side at a construction site in Parramatta, Sydney. The crane operator was unharmed and managed to extricate himself from the crane safely. The
SA’s largest-ever illegal dump found in Murraylands
The South Australian branch of the Environmental Protection Authority has uncovered a significant illegal waste dump in the state’s Murraylands. It is estimated that at least 12 waste transport companies
QLD company faces court over falls from heights risk; $24K fine
A building operation in Brisbane has been fined $24,000 this week over Queensland work safety law breaches, which posed a danger to workers. The company was charged over three breaches
$75K fine over spontaneous ignition incident at paint factory
A paint manufacturing and mixing company near Richmond, outer Sydney, has been fined $75,000 after failing to adequately provide safety procedures and after a worker was severely injured at the
WorkSafe Victoria reports horror week
WorkSafe Victoria has confirmed three casualties on sites across the state last week. A 69-year-old man died while assisting a colleague as part of a Department of Environment, Land, Water
Warning for home renovators over asbestos risks
Following National Asbestos Awareness Week, many councils around Australia are warning home renovators to get their projects checked for asbestos before they renovate. The rise in DIY-renovation television shows, as
New strategy by SafeWork as NSW fatalities rise
The NSW Minister for Better Regulation, Kevin Anderson, has announced a new High-Risk Workplace Strategy by SafeWork NSW, focusing on construction sites, hazardous chemicals facilities and sites with mobile plant
Harvard study looks at the effects of short-term exposure to fine particulate matter
Harvard University has looked at medical, hospital and environmental data in a recent study that seeks to identify the health effects of fine particulate matter in the atmosphere. The study
“Third Wave” of asbestos victims emerging
A Queensland grandmother, diagnosed with mesothelioma is part of a growing number of people affected by the disease caused by unsafe work practises exposing workers to asbestos-containing material. Esmaralda Marsh
Calls for National asbestos register, State & Territory governments indicate support
In the same way that workplaces test and tag electrical equipment for safety, there are calls to introduce a similar method for commercial and government buildings across the nation. During
PCBU sentenced after instructing worker to lie to WorkSafe
Former New Zealand rugby player, David Heaps, has been sentenced to community detention and fined over an incident, during which he instructed an employee to lie to WorkSafe investigators after
Worksite death at Darling Harbour
At the site of the IMAX Theatre in Darling Harbour, Sydney, a man has died after a workplace accident at approximately 10am today. Emergency services workers including ambulance and fire
Worker critically injured after electric shock
A 37-year-old worker remains in a critical condition today, two days after he was knocked unconscious after the tool he was using came into contact with a power line on
Illegal asbestos dumped at Tweed Heads
Tweed Heads Fire and Rescue NSW crews have attended the site of illegal asbestos dumping at Stotts Island and Wooyung. At the Wooyung site, which has historically been a common
SafeWork SA convicts over unlicensed asbestos removal
SafeWork SA has prosecuted an individual for unlicensed asbestos removal, and a successful conviction was recorded for breaches of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012. Anthony Rosier, formerly trading
Safety warning over tilt-up concrete & lifting clutches
Workplace Health & Safety Queensland has issued an alert over the risks of lifting clutches associated with tilt-up and pre-cast concrete erection, following an incident last month in which a
Link between robots and higher injury rates in Amazon fulfilment centres
A report in America’s The Atlantic has revealed that workers in Amazon’s fulfilment warehouses are injured at twice the rate of the national warehouse industry standard, with rates of up to 9.6
Conviction over 2014 Hazelwood mine fire
The operator of the Hazelwood coal mine has received a conviction over a major fire incident in 2014 which exposed both workers and the public to dangerous conditions. Hazelwood Power
David Jones & Myer pay compensation to retail staff over asbestos exposure
Three retailers from Adelaide’s Rundle Mall have been sued by staff who claim they contracted mesothelioma from asbestos applied to the stores during the 1960s. In the most recent judgement
SafeWork NSW: Asbestos Awareness Week
Today marks the beginning of Asbestos Awareness Week and SafeWork NSW is calling on Australians not to be complacent about the dangers of harmful asbestos fibres. With the theme ‘Asbestos
Worker injured under five tonnes of material in QLD
A worker at Atkinsons Dam has reportedly been injured under “five tonnes of material”, according to emergency services workers. Paramedics, including critical care paramedics and a helicopter, responded to the
NBN Co under fire for asbestos removal without warning
A Western Australian man was shocked last week after NBN workers set up a barrier and tape across his driveway and began extracting asbestos from a pit meters from his
$200,000 fine over workplace death
A large industrial gas and liquid company has been fined $200,000 over a breach of section 32 of the WHS Act 2011, for failing to comply with its duty. In
Cumberland Council: Asbestos Awareness Month Events
Cumberland Council, stretching from Strathfield to Seven Hills and Wetherill Park has announced a number of events and services as part of its commitment to Asbestos Awareness Month. The council
Calls for regulation of fibreglass industries
Fibreglass, often used in home insulation and consumer products has been revealed by a former hazardous materials expert as more carcinogenic than asbestos. The fibreglass manufacturing industry contains many of the
MCG found to contain flammable cladding
The Melbourne Cricket Ground has been revealed as having portions of flammable cladding, the Victorian state government revealed. As part of a crackdown on safety and construction practises across the
SWA Fact Sheet: Storing Chemicals in the Workplace
SafeWork Australia has released a guide outlining some of the common health and safety risks of storing chemicals and shows ways to manage those risks. It includes a storage checklist that
Rates of asbestos-related disease rising in WA
Western Australia has been revealed as having the dubious title of the only Australian state with rising rates of asbestos-related disease, while the rest of the country continues to see
Christchurch tornado spreads asbestos-containing material
Videos uploaded to social media and across the news have shown the moment a tornado took the roof off a Christchurch building, picking up sheets of roofing and releasing asbestos-containing
Construction worker stabbed at Sydney worksite
A 25-year-old construction worker has suffered multiple stab wounds after being attacked at a Sydney construction site. The incident occurred at a site on Coward Street in Mascot just before
Port Macquarie air quality worse than New Dehli
The ongoing bushfire situation in NSW has affected the air quality levels across the state to such levels that Port Macquarie experienced the world’s poorest air quality rating on Friday.
