In the media
Defence Department charged over fatality
The Department of Defence has been charged with breaching
Commonwealth work health and safety laws over the death of a
soldier during a training exercise (09 May 2019).
More...
Locking pin failure leads to $60,000 fine
A failure to use a simple and effective fencing equipment
locking pin that would have prevented a worker being injured has
led to a property manager being convicted and fined $60,000 in the
Townsville Magistrates Court (09 May 2019).
More...
Queensland Government's Safer Buildings Program on
track
The Queensland Government's Safer Buildings
Combustible Cladding Checklist program has cleared almost 14,000
private buildings, confirming they're safe and secure for
tenants and workers (05 May 2019).
More...
Changes for white card construction induction
training
Training for a Queensland White Card must now be face to
face with a Registered Training Organisation
(RTO). A Queensland white card is recognised in
all Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory and
Northern Territory. Queensland also recognises white cards issued
from each of these areas (30 April 2019).
More...
Queensland appoints first Work Health Safety
Prosecutor
The Government has announced the appointment of Aaron
Guilfoyle as Queensland's first independent Work Health and
Safety Prosecutor. Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said
Mr Guilfoyle would lead a new independent statutory office focused
on workplace health and safety and electrical safety prosecutions
(30 April 2019).
More...
Major miners aim to push safety performance to the next
level
A Responsible Mining Index (RMI) report
into the workplace culture of 30 mining majors has shown that while
safety is a priority for the companies involved, there are still
several areas that could be improved (30 April 2019).
More...
Vehicle loading cranes audits
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and the Department
of Transport and Main Roads have been conducting roadside vehicle
loading cranes (VLCs) assessments since last year.
To date, 673 VLCs have been stopped and assessed with a significant
level of non-compliance found (30 April 2019).
More...
Newcastle building company found guilty of failing to
protect workers from falls
A Newcastle building company has been found guilty of
failing to provide adequate fall protection to avoid its workers
from falling from heights. The prosecution comes after a SafeWork
inspector attended a construction site run by DSD Builders Pty Ltd
(DSD Builders) in Speers Point on 27 March 2018
(30 April 2019).
More...
Complexity, safety drive construction management
software demand
Increasing project complexity and an ongoing push for
safer work sites are driving greater demand for construction
management software in Australia; a global industry leader says (29
April 2019).
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Published - articles, papers, reports
Safe Work Australia fatality statistics
As at 28 April, there have been 51 Australian workers
killed at work in 2019. The numbers and industries
may vary from one report to the next, as Safe Work receives more
detailed information (to check for updates and more details on
fatalities since 2003, go to the Safe Work Australia Work-related
fatalities
webpage).
In practice and courts
NCC 2019
The Australian Building Codes Board
(ABCB) has completed the three year amendment
cycle of the National Construction Code (NCC), and
NCC 2019 is being prepared for adoption by all states and
territories on 1 May 2019. To assist stakeholders in understanding
the changes and new provisions in NCC 2019, the ABCB has released
preview copies and supporting material. More...
Federal Safety Commissioner supports Road Safety
Week
The Federal Safety Commissioner requires accredited
companies to meet a high standard of compliance when managing
traffic related hazards on site. For more detail on Accreditation
Scheme audit requirements please see the
FSC Audit Criteria Guidelines (08 May 2019).
More...
OFSC: Changes to Accredited Contractor reporting
requirements by 01 July 2019
Key Dates: Scheme Project information, including
End of Project information will be reported on the new Scheme
Biannual Report from 1 July 2019 and the first Scheme Biannual
Report, for the January to June 2019 reporting period, is due
by 31 July 2019.
More...
Queensland
WorkCover Queensland: New rope access and fall arrest
guide published
The guide includes reference to Australia and New Zealand
standards and reviews various types of post-installed anchors (i.e.
masonry anchors). It has information on the safe use of
post-installed anchors for fall arrest and industrial rope access
attachment points used for building maintenance, including both
single anchor points and multi-fixing anchor points (30 April
2019).
More...
WorkCover Queensland: National guide to reduce
work-related road fatalities
The guide applies a risk management process and other work
health and safety principles to vehicle use for work-related
purposes. It is designed to assist PCBUs and others to manage
exposure of their workers and others to road traffic hazards in
line with work health and safety and road traffic safety
legislative requirements. See
Vehicles as a Workplace: a WHS Guide (30 April 2019). More...
WorkCover Queensland: Electrical safety training for
solar farms
Subsidised training is available to upskill workers in
preparation for the new code of practice and electrical safety
regulation that will commence this month to enhance safety in
Queensland's commercial solar farm industry. The Construction
and operation of solar farms Code of Practice 2019 came into effect
on 13 May 2019 (02 May 2019).
More...
WorkCover Queensland: Electrical safety codes of
practice - Construction and operation of solar farms Code of
Practice 2019
The new
Construction and operation of solar farms Code of Practice 2019
commenced on 13 May 2019. The new code combines existing electrical
and work health and safety requirements relating to solar farms.
Commencement of the code of practice is accompanied by a
regulatory amendment requiring the mounting, locating, fixing
and removal of solar panels at solar farms to be undertaken by
licensed electricians.
Victoria
WorkSafe Victoria: Advisory service extends hours of
operation
WorkSafe's advisory service is extending its hours of
operation by two and a half hours a day.
Taking calls Monday to Friday from 7.30am and 6.30pm.WorkSafe
Advisory Director Kelly Harris said the extended hours were
designed to make the service more responsive to the needs of
Victorian employers and workers (28 April 2019).
More...
WorkSafe Victoria: Safety alerts
Farmer loses his life undertaking dam repair works
Topics: Plant hazards, excavating and trenching.
WorkSafe is warning farmers and others to be aware
of the hazards—sometimes fatal—of working in and around
dams (02 May 2019).
More...
Braking and operational requirements for cranes using
workboxes to lift personnel
Topics: Cranes and lifting equipment, Fall prevention,
Plant hazards. This alert informs crane owners, operators,
manufacturers, and hirers of the requirements for a dual braking
system where a crane is required to suspend a workbox for the
purposes of hoisting personnel (30 April 2019).
More...
WorkSafe Victoria: Newsletter May 2019
News for the construction, utilities, mining and quarrying
industries.
More...
ESV update: Application date – AS/NZS 3010:2017
Electrical installations – generating sets
ESV has published an update to the application date for
AS/NZS 3010:2017 Electrical Installations – Generating
Sets. This new 2017 edition of AS/NZS 3010 will be mandatory
from 1 July 2019. More...
Cases
Connors v Wilmar Sugar Pty Ltd [2019]
QDC 73
INDUSTRIAL LAW - INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE -
Occupational Health and Safety - Duties of Employer - Whether
breach of duty of care - whether reasonably practicable means of
avoiding risk of death - whether causation proved
Justices Act 1886 Qld ss 222, 223; Work Health and
Safety Act 2011 Qld ss 17, 18, 19, 32, 275; Work Health and
Safety Regulation 2011 Qld rr 35, 36
Victorian Prosecution Result Summaries and Enforceable Undertakings
Brickwood (Vic) Pty Ltd Moorabbin Magistrates'
Court
Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
Section21(1) & 21(2)(a), Outcome 01 May 2019.
More...
This publication does not deal with every important topic or change in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you have found this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact one of the named individuals listed.