Safety laws shift blame to company directors
27 November 2009
New national work safety legislation would make directors potentially liable even if they have no direct responsibility for any death or accident. Instead of the currently separate state, territory and Commonwealth laws, the proposed model will provide a consistent national set of rules by December 2011. More...

BHP temporarily suspends RPG5 rail work due to safety concerns
5 November 2009
BHP Billiton has temporarily suspended the construction of a new rail line in WA’s Pilbara region after raising safety concerns with the contractor. The company has come under fire for its safety performance in the Pilbara after a string of fatalities this year, but says it has introduced safety initiatives. More...

WorkSafe Victoria study shows decrease in labour hire injury claims
28 October 2009
WorkSafe Victoria says labour hire workplace injury claims have reduced by 27.4% over the 12 months to August 2009, with the most improved labour hire supply sectors agriculture, manufacturing and transport/storage. The RCSA says the results show labour hire, also known as on-hire, workers compensation claims performance is improving at a greater rate than non-labour hire. More...

Qantas hits TWU for strike compo
27 October 2009
The nation’s workplace watchdog has joined with Qantas in a bid to have significant financial penalties imposed on a major union and its senior officials for authorising industrial action over security concerns at four capital city airports. Qantas is seeking compensation, fines and injunctions against the Transport Workers Union and its leaders over the industrial action by baggage handlers at Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide airports. More...

Airservices Australia Safety Checks
Airservices Flight Inspection Service (FIS) will visit regional areas in Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania this month to check that navigation aids critical to safe aircraft operations are working correctly. It is one of two Beechcraft King Airs used by Airservices to check the functional accuracy of over 500 pieces of critical air navigation equipment at regional and major airports, aerodromes and airstrips. More...

Mine industry boosting farm safety
28 October 2009
A rural safety lobby group says the mining industry is helping to improve farm safety in Queensland. New data from workers’ compensation claims shows the rural sector has the highest fatality rate of all industries and one of the highest rates of traumatic injury. More...

Rural safety DVD teaching farmers the importance of safety
28 October 2009
A new rural safety DVD which teaches farmers the importance of safety, has been launched as part of Safe Work Australia Week. Workers’ compensation claims show the rural sector has the highest fatality rate of all industry sectors at 12.2 deaths per 100,000 workers. More...

Queenslanders absent from work every day due to injuries and illness
26 October 2009
According to Minister Dick, 100 Queenslanders die and 30,000 suffer serious injuries or work-related diseases every year. Minister Dick says these absences are estimated to cost more than $5.2b a year, but the human suffering resulting from the death and injury toll is an incalculable cost. More...

State employers called to reduce workplace injury
27 October 2009
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland is calling on the State’s employers to help minimise workplace injuries, which currently result in the death of 100 Queenslanders, by implementing appropriate safety measures and policies. More...

Safe Work Australia releases National Stevedoring Guidance publications
2 November 2009
Safe Work Australia has released three guidance publications for the stevedoring industry which will create a national approach to improving safety within the workplace. More...

Safe Work Australia now statutory agency
2 November 2009
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations announced that Safe Work Australia has commenced operating as an independent statutory agency. Safe Work Australia will continue to play a pivotal role in realising the harmonisation of occupational health and safety (OHS) laws across the country. More...

Printing business fined for breaching workplace safety laws
3 November 2009
Safework SA says a printing business has been convicted and fined in the South Australia Industrial Relations Court after pleading guilty to its fifth breach of workplace safety laws. More...