Court action to resume after High Court win for WorkSafe
19 October 2009
Comcare was originally set up to deal with workplace compensation and safety in Federal government departments and statutory agencies such as the ABC and CSIRO. WorkSafe Victoria has beaten a High Court challenge confirming its right to prosecute companies for alleged health and safety offences committed before they joined Comcare. The decision means cases by WorkSafe involving alleged workplace health and safety breaches against John Holland and several other companies will now be heard in Victoria. More...

$750,000 damages for cleaner’s plunge
18 October 2009
A Primary school on the Central Coast had been plagued for months by vandals before a cleaner was seriously injured in the playground ,with Nadine Schneider falling into a drainage pit that was left uncovered by vandals in an unlit part of the playground. Judge Leonard Levy found the state had breached its duty of care to Ms Schneider. The state had denied liability for the incident. More...

Fines after fall from unsecured ladder impairs man for life
22 October 2009
Area Construction Labour Services (ACLS) has been fined $40,000 after a worker fell 4.5m down a ladder while he was cleaning windows. The injured worker’s wife was also awarded $10,000 compensation. SafeWork SA also submitted that the company had not carried out hazard identification or risk assessment for the task of cleaning high windows, and the employer had failed to comply with its own written policy on the safe use of ladders for work at heights. More...

Minister says CFMEU is wrong about OHS claims
21 October 2009
The Minister for Industrial Relations, John Hargreaves has rejected claims by the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Unions (CFMEU) that the ACT Labor Government “had voted for laws” which impact Occupational Health and Safety. The CFMEU claims that laws were voted on to penalise a union for acting on a suspicion of an unsafe workplace at a recent meeting of the WRMC. More...

Ballarat Goldfields faces $1m fine for rock fall
19 October 2009
Ballarat Goldfields could be fined more than $1 million after being charged over a rock fall that trapped 27 miners below ground nearly 2 years ago. WorkSafe Victoria has alleged the company breached the Occupational Health and Safety Act in the incident, in which the miners were trapped for nearly four hours. More...

Action needed after Victoria sees 3 regional deaths in 7 days
14 October 2009
WorkSafe Victoria says it is time to take action, after 3 regional deaths in 7 days. Of the 21 work-related deaths, twelve occurred in regional areas, and 8 on farms. WorkSafe is calling on regional employers and workers, particularly on farms to review safety practices and do everything possible to maximise safety. More...

Lead contamination at Westgate Bridge causes work halt
13 October 2009
The Australian Workers Union says work has stopped at the Westgate Bridge Strengthening Project in Victoria due to lead paint contamination. More...

Company fined $100,000 for limb amputation
13 October 2009
Giacci Bros has been fined $100,000 over a 2006 incident in which a 19-year-old worker’s leg was torn off. More...

New harmonisation of health and safety laws raises several questions
15 October 2009
Whilst there will be some changes on a day-to-day level for businesses in many of the jurisdictions, overall the model legislation is unlikely to dramatically effect the way safety is actually achieved. The bulk of changes to normal business from a health and safety perspective will be contained in the detailed regulations and any supporting material yet to be drafted. More...