SafeWork NSW’s app, ‘Speak Up Save Lives’ is working to make workplaces safer for all employees, with initial reports for an entire year showing 560 reports which triggered an intervention
Council-funded CCTV operation catches illegal asbestos dumping
An intricate surveillance operation has uncovered a plan to illegally dump asbestos waste next to wetlands in the north of Adelaide. Ronald Shaw of Reynella admitted to leaving the bag
Site of new quarantine facility in QLD contaminated with PFAS, asbestos
A contaminated site that houses one of Australia’s largest military barracks is continued to be marked by the Department of Defence as having “no known contamination”, despite documents obtained under
New quarry slated for Goulburn met by resistance over silica fears
A new quarry planned for development north of Goulburn has been met with fierce resistance from locals who are concerned about the potential health risks to local communities. Global Quarries
Asbestos contractor immediately suspended after SafeWork SA investigation
A South Australian asbestos removalist and demolition contractor has had their licence (Class A) suspended immediately following an investigation by SafeWork SA. SafeWork SA explained that the contractor was responsible
Asbestos-contaminated railway line remediation wraps in Montana
The Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that it is moving to end the mammoth cleanup task of asbestos along railroads in Montana, where long-term asbestos mining has resulted in hundreds
Heritage-listed homestead demolished over Mr Fluffy asbestos fill
A home in the nation’s capital, built in 1893, is the latest home to be demolished due to the presence of Mr Fluffy asbestos fill. The property, the heritage-listed “Deasland’
Uptick in mesothelioma following major historic natural disasters sees experts call for caution over flood clean up
Experts are warning flood-affected residents of New South Wales and Queensland to be mindful of asbestos exposure, and one family has shared their experience of losing their son to mesothelioma,
Demolition of final Wittenoom buildings & infrastructure to go ahead
The asbestos-contaminated town of Wittenoom is the subject of a bill that has just passed the Western Australian parliament, which will see the town closed and all remaining properties destroyed.
Illegal asbestos dumping costs WA worker $15,000
An asbestos disposal business employee has been fined in Western Australia after illegally dumping a load of asbestos on the side of a road. Rajwinder Singh, employed by Action Asbestos,
Prison sentence for illegal asbestos dumping
A man has been jailed for 15 months in the UK over illegal waste dumping of more than three and a half tonnes of waste, including asbestos materials. Mitchell Cooper
Asbestos manufacturer under fire for “playing down” risks
One of the United Kingdom’s largest asbestos manufacturers has been found to have withheld detail on the risks the material posed, while also “playing down” the dangers it holds, while
Owner of property leased to gym fined more than $35,000 over the use of pressure sprayers on roof
A property owner that authorised the use of pressures sprayers on the asbestos roof of one of its properties has been convicted and fined. An Environment, Resources and Development Court
Former mechanic wins $20M in compensation over historical asbestos exposure
A man from southern St. Louis County has successfully sued the Ford Motor Company over historical asbestos exposure, with USD 20 million in damages awarded. William Trokey, 76, launched proceedings
Suspended prison sentence for illegal storage of asbestos waste
A United Kingdom man who falsely claimed to be an asbestos disposal specialist has been handed a suspended prison sentence and may still face a proceeds of crime order. The
Bushfire cleanup hampered by asbestos contamination
The cleanup efforts across bushfire-affected communities in Western Australia have been hampered by asbestos contamination, with some property owners looking at costs of up to $250,000 to remove asbestos. In
Johnson & Johnson comments on asbestos testing on prisoners
Documents that had previously been sealed have uncovered that at one point, cosmetic giant Johnson & Johnson funded a study whereby prisoners in the United States were injected with asbestos.
Asbestos warning after flood damage from National Asbestos Awareness
The recent flooding in NSW and Queensland has seen authorities warn residents and business owners to prepare for the risk of potential asbestos dangers as the clean up begins. One
“Looked like ghosts”: evidence from asbestos-related coronial inquest
A dockworker and seaman gave a posthumous statement at a coronial inquest in Gloucester, UK, which included a statement that revealed the man and his workmates were covered in asbestos
Public school in Newcastle closed until clearance cert issued over asbestos contamination
A public school in Newcastle near to the recent Wickham wool store fire has been forced to close, according to the Department of Education, due to asbestos exposure from the
Asbestos exposure fears over issue-laden Tonga rescue mission
The issue-stricken Australian Defence Force humanitarian mission to Tonga has gone from bad to worse as personnel fear they may have been exposed to asbestos during the clean-up process. Defence
Asbestos concerns after Wickham woolsheds blaze
Following a massive fire that destroyed former woolsheds at a site in Wickham, near Newcastle this week, firefighters are assessing the damage and determining the level of contamination after it
Welcome Peter Kirby – Senior WHS Consultant (QLD)
Trinitas Group recently welcomed Peter Kirby to the team as Senior Work Health and Safety Consultant (QLD). Peter will be located at our Brisbane office and will be responsible for
Update to legislation aims to hold illegal waste operators to account
There has been a raft of new legislative updates introduced in NSW. The Environment Minister, James Griffin, explained that the new changes would protect landowners against illegal dumping and provide
Historic silicosis preventative found to have led to further illness; compensation offered
Miners who were provided with what was believed to be protective treatment against silicosis in the 1950s to 1970s in Canada have been granted access to the Ontario Workplace Safety
Eastern Creek waste facility fined over asbestos handling
In NSW’s Eastern Creek, a waste management company has been fined $15,000 for failing to cover asbestos waste at its landfill facility adequately. The Environmental Protection Authority was at the
Half a million dollar fine over three staff diagnosed with silicosis
A Tasmanian company that manufactures stone benchtops has been fined a massive $500,000 following silicosis diagnoses in three of its workers, attributed to silica exposure at their place of employment.
Parents and carers launch legal claim over asbestos exposure at childcare centre
A group of parents and carers are launching legal action over a childcare facility at the University of Montana, which allegedly exposed the children to asbestos-containing materials. The claim centres
More than $50,000 in fines after asbestos exposure at WA mine site
Alcoa and Monadelphous Engineering Associates have been fined more than $50,000 after it was revealed that two workers were exposed to asbestos at the Alcoa Pinjarra refinery in January of
Landmark damages awarded in Libby asbestosis case
In a landmark ruling this week, the Maryland Casualty Company will be required to pay $36 million in damages relating to the ongoing risk and damage from the WR Grace
Brighton Beach redevelopment woes continue, further claims of asbestos contamination
Brighton Beach residents in Melbourne have voiced concerns over the beginning of the new Life Saving Pavilion, with 14,000 bricks formerly part of the Life Saving Club dumped a short
CFMEU renews calls for ban on “killer” manufactured stone products,
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union is again calling on the NSW Parliament to commit to banning certain manufactured stone products in a bid to protect workers from
MPs likely exposed to asbestos as part of 4B remediation at House of Commons
Dozens of workers in the UK Parliament may have been exposed to asbestos after an incident in autumn of last year. According to parliamentary officials, the incident occurred as part
“Repeated and high-risk violations” during hazardous asbestos removal
WorkSafe British Columbia has charged a local business over asbestos-related workplace health and safety violations. Onni Contracting’s violations during a commercial renovation saw WorkSafeBC inspectors attend the site and observe
Occupational hygienists raise concerns over N95 mask quality, fit testing
Occupational hygienists are warning the public that as many move to what they perceive to be higher levels of safety in face masks, they may not be getting the promised
Queensland launches new world-first silicosis testing bus
Queensland has become the first state in Australia to introduce a mobile health unit, specially developed by the Palaszczuk Government, in partnership with Heart of Australia, to assist in detecting
Pennsylvania construction company facing $400K fine over environmental violations
A federal court judge has the power to fine a US-based construction company nearly half a million dollars after they failed to remove asbestos from a planned school development site
120 properties affected by contaminated fill to be assessed and remediated
Contaminated fill that was sold to more than 120 landowners from a waste centre has been confirmed by the EPA, and the residents have been notified. The material, crushed concrete
Maitland heritage icon closed as asbestos uncovered during works
The Walka Water Works in the Newcastle region has been closed to the public after assessors uncovered asbestos at the site. The site has been in the media in recent
More than 3,500 tonnes of waste including asbestos removed from public beach
NSW Government has confirmed that excavation of 3,800 tonnes of waste buried beneath North Stockton beach has been completed. The work was completed as a priority after coastal erosion threatened
Firefighters investigating spread of asbestos after property goes up in smoke
A fire at a home in Nowra has raised concerns among the local community as Fire and Rescue teams investigate the risk to the local community after it was noted
Company fined over the death of a worker who fell through asbestos roof
A British company has been sentenced and fined after an employee was fatally injured after falling through an asbestos cement roof in May of 2017. A subsequent investigation by the
Boston: $325K fine over unsafe demolition work
A property development corporation and a contractor it hired will pay up to $325,000USD to settle allegations of illegal asbestos abatement activity during excavation and construction activities, which occurred during
AWU calls on NSW Government to provide better protections for all workers in dust-prone industries
The Australian Workers Union is demanding further action from the NSW Government on its Dust Diseases Scheme, expressing that they would like the scheme to cover all dust-prone sectors. The
Asbestos-containing factory goes up in flames
Environmental safety authorities are closely monitoring a a fire which has broken out at a known asbestos-containing recycling centre in Dunkirk, United Kingdom. As many as 12 firefighters attended the
BBC pays £1.64m in damages over the deaths of 11 former employees
It has been revealed that the BBC has paid £1.64m in damages over the deaths of 11 former employees of the organisation, all of whom died after contracting cancer after
Asbestos and mould company fined more than $62k for asbestos regulation breaches
A North American asbestos and mould management company, based out of Marlborough, has been fined more than $62,000 USD for violations of asbestos regulations. The fines were handed down by
New property owner fined over attempts to repurpose 3,000 cubic metres of asbestos waste
A New South Wales resident who knowingly purchased asbestos-contaminated land has been fined $15,000 after it was discovered that he processed asbestos from the site in an attempt to reuse
Brisbane handyman fined over unlicensed Airtasker asbestos removal
A handyman in Brisbane, who replied to an Airtasker ad for asbestos removal, has been sentenced in the Brisbane Magistrates Court following a guilty plea to breaches of Queensland workplace