In the media
Wingfield chemical waste operators Transpacific
Industries taken to court for alleged negligence over 2013
fire
Operators of the Wingfield chemical waste plant near Port
Adelaide are facing charges of breaching workplace safety laws over
a fire in 2013 (29 July 2015).
More...
Have your say on the future of explosives
regulation
The public comment period on explosives regulation in
Australia is now open and Safe Work Australia is encouraging
Australians to have their say through the Explosives Regulation
in Australia: Discussion Paper and Consultation Regulation Impact
Statement (30 July 2015).
More...
New research reports to inform work health and safety
policy and practice
Safe Work Australia has published four new research
reports to help inform the development of Australian work health
and safety policy and practice. The research provides great insight
into the extent to which Australian employers and workers are
consciously aware of health and safety in their workplace and
actively try to manage risks (29 July 2015).
More...
Farm safety push pays dividends in productivity and
profits
In any week, across Australia the average amount of time
lost reported from workplace injuries in agriculture and fishing
adds up to almost 1,000 weeks. Consultant says people underestimate
low probability risks, and quality and safety are connected (30
July 2015).
More...
'No evidence' found to support CEO bullying
claims: Far West Local Health District chair
The chief executive of the Far West Local Health District
has been cleared of allegations, according to the LHD's board
chairman (30 July 2015).
More...
Companies charged over Adelaide workplace
accidents
Federal workplace health and safety regulator Comcare has
filed legal proceedings against two national employers over
separate workplace incidents in Adelaide. Comcare has filed
complaints and summonses in the Adelaide Magistrates Court against
waste management company Transpacific Industries Pty Ltd and
construction company John Holland Pty Ltd (29 July 2015).
More...
Providing more autonomy is a key to managing happy,
productive staff
Managers who design jobs with a high level of autonomy
promote a stronger sense of control among workers, new research
based on Australian data has found (28 July 2015).
More...
New figures show quad bikes are a farmer's
enemy
The latest statistics from Farmsafe Australia show quad
bikes are at the top of the danger list for farmers (24 July
2015).
More...
No new permit for CFMEU's Michael Myles
The Fair Work Commission has refused to grant CFMEU
official Michael Myles a new Federal Right of Entry permit, saying
Mr Myles has "disrespect and disregard for the rights of
occupiers of building sites and the legislative scheme regarding
right of entry" (21 July 2015). More...
Farm safety audits deliver tough new penalties for
farmers not prioritising the safety of themselves and their
workers
Western Australian farmers are being told to lift their
game when it comes to farm safety as Worksafe cracks down on
broadacre properties. With more backpacker labour and young people
returning to the land following the mining downturn, farmers are
being warned to make safety a priority (20 July 2015).
More...
Published – articles, papers, reports
Safe Work Australia:
Australia-wide fatalities – July 2015
There has been no update since July 14, at which time 83 fatalities had been reported to Safe Work Australia. More...
Safe Work Australia: monthly fatality
report - April 2015
There were nine work-related deaths reported to state and territory OHS regulators – fewer than the thirteen reported in March. All nine fatalities were male workers: three were caused by crushing, and two involved vehicle incidents away from public roads. One worker drowned, one was electrocuted, one was killed in an explosion and one was fatally struck by an unattended vehicle on a public road. More...
In practice and courts
Explosives Regulation in Australia: Discussion Paper and
Consultation Regulation Impact Statement: Public Submissions
Safe Work Australia is inviting businesses, industries,
workers and the wider community to comment on how explosives are
regulated across Australia and the issues this regulation may raise
for people involved in the explosives industry. The public comment
period is open from 30 July 2015 until 10 September 2015.
Submissions close 10 September 2015. More...
SWA: Virtual Seminars planned for Health and Safety
Week
Safe Work Australia has announced that it will once again run its
virtual seminar series throughout October, where they plan to
showcase the latest thinking, innovation, research and development
in work health and safety. More...
ASEA: 2nd International Asbestos Conference
2015
Reminder that the Early Bird registration is now open for the
Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (ASEA) second International
Conference on Asbestos Awareness and Management, which will be held
during National Asbestos Awareness Month, from the 22 to the 24 of
November. The conference will this year be held at the Brisbane
Convention and Exhibition Centre in South Brisbane. More...
Sources of work health and safety information in
Australian workplaces report released
Learn about how Australian workplaces find out about work
health and safety in the Sources of work health and safety
information in Australian workplaces report available now.
According to this report, the media continues to be an important
source of work health and safety information for Australian
employers, sole traders and workers (20 July 2015).
More...
Mindfulness of work health and safety in the workplace
report released
Learn about the extent to which employers, sole traders
and workers are aware of work health and safety risks and controls
in their workplace, in the Mindfulness of work health and safety in
the workplace report. The study indicates how aware employers, sole
traders (operators of non-employing businesses) and workers are of
factors that may influence work health and safety in their
workplaces (22 July 2015).
More...
Safety standards released
AS
3999:2015
Standards Australia
Bulk thermal insulation – Installation.
AS/NZS 3004.2:2014/Amdt
1:2015
Standards Australia
Electrical installations - Marinas and boats - Boat
installations.
VIC: Safety Soapbox – 23 July
2015
The latest edition features Steve Darnley from the construction team on the incident notification requirements under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act. Subscribers may have noticed that WorkSafe has recently successfully prosecuted a large number of employers for failing to notify the Authority following incidents. More...
ACT: New Codes of
Practice
Subsequent to the Safe Work Australia's approval and release of
a number of Codes of Practice earlier this year, the ACT Government
adopted and notified them on the ACT Legislation Register (July 2015).
Cases
Victoria OHS Enforcements
Modeland Pty Ltd 006 848 362 16/07/2015
Failure to notify VWA of a notifiable incident; Failure to
preserve incident site Occupational Health and Safety Act
2004 38(1); 38(3); 39(1) ; Magistrates' Court.
More...
Legislation
Queensland
Reminder: submissions on Workers' Compensation
Amendment Bills
The Queensland Parliament referred the Workers'
Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Legislation Amendment
Bill 2015 and the Workers' Compensation and
Rehabilitation (Protecting Firefighters) Amendment Bill 2015
to the Finance and Administration Committee. The Committee is
required to report back to the Parliament by Friday 4 Septembers
2015.
More...
Victoria
Statutory Rules
No. 89: Court Security Regulations 2015
Commencement: 25/07/2015: reg. 3
Not yet in operation: Regs 1-5: on 25/07/2015: reg. 3 Sunset Date:
14/07/2025.
No 91: Dangerous Goods (Transport by Road or Rail)
Amendment Regulations 2015
Gazette S 212, 28 July 2015, p 1 Commencement 1/09/2015
These Regulations come into operation on 1 September 2015: r 3 The
objectives of these Regulations are to amend the Dangerous
Goods (Transport by Road or Rail) Regulations 2008 to reflect
changes made to the National Transport Commission (Model
Legislation – Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road or Rail)
Regulations 2007 of the Commonwealth and to make consequential
amendments to the Dangerous Goods (Explosives) Regulations
2011 and the Dangerous Goods (Storage and Handling)
Regulations 2012. 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.