what’s news in occupational health & safety?

latest news 20 october 2008

New national laws on fatigue
9 October 2008
New national fatigue laws have commenced regulating heavy vehicle drivers. The heavy vehicle driver-fatigue laws set revised work and rest limits for drivers and make all parties in the supply chain legally responsible for preventing fatigue. The laws apply to vehicles over 12 tonnes and buses that seat 12 or more passengers but do not cover plant items or motor homes. Western Australia and the Northern Territory will not implement the laws but drivers travelling interstate will be bound by them. The National Transport Commission has produced a website dealing with the changes.

700 cases of unauthorised electrical work last year: Audit
8 October 2008
Some 696 people performed unlicensed electrical work in the 2007-2008 financial year, an Electrical Safety Office (ESO) audit has found. The office warns unlicensed work is not potentially dangerous for both the worker and the client, but the lack of insurance means properties are at risk. more...

Electrical contractors warned against obstructing inspectors
8 October 2008
Electrical contractors are being warned to comply with the requests of safety inspectors or face the full force of the law after a recent case involving the assault of an officer. The Industrial Magistrate told the hearing officers monitoring and enforcing compliance with safety legislation should not have to consider abuse after a Tanah Merah contractor was found to have used aggression to obstruct an Electrical Safety Office inspector from exercising his powers under the Electrical Safety Act 2002. more...

RailCorp fined $120000 for safety breaches
11 October 2008
Railcorp has been fined $120,000 for safety breaches after an accident at its Coniston depot left a worker with serious head and back injuries. RailCorp pleaded guilty in the NSW Industrial Court to failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all its employees. more...

Sea pilots in safety shake up
10 October 2008
The Government released the findings of a review of Victorian ship pilotage practices this week, calling for a “more comprehensive and integrated approach to safety”. The review proposed actions including regular audits of Port Phillip Sea Pilots’ safety management systems. The Independent reported last year that several close calls and a direct hit on a fishing boat in the past two years prompted the review. more...

European campaigners target worst chemicals
24 September 2008
European safety campaigners have published a lit of chemicals of high concern which should be substituted. ‘Substitute It Now’ aims to speed up the implementation of REACH, the new EU chemical regulation (reported previously in SafetyNet 142 ). The SIN List 1.0 includes nearly 300 chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, asbestos and other industrial carcinogens and toxins. more... more...

$200K mine fine a big safety warning: union
30 September 2008
The coal miners' union says a big fine issued to a New South Wales Upper Hunter mine owner should be a warning to others tempted to neglect their occupational health and safety obligations. more...

Safety levy for mining, quarrying and explosives industries
1 October 2008
The Queensland Government will start charging mining, quarrying and explosives operations a Safety and Health Levy on 1 October 2008. According to the government, the fee covers safety and health services provided by the state to the industries. more...

Lakeside packaging appeal thrown out
2 July 2008
The Melbourne County Court has upheld an earlier decision to fine a printing company $75,000 over an incident in which a Chinese worker had his arm crushed by an unguarded machine. Lake-side Packaging appealed the recent Magistrate’s ruling (reported in SafetyNet 143 ), citing the possibility the fine may close the business down. The judge ruled that the fines was at the lower end of possible fines and should stand. more...

Pig heart bug passed onto workers
5 October 2008
Two piggery workers have survived a potentially-deadly disease of the heart valves after contracting a bug from animals bound for the abattoir. Dr Kennedy said in the latest Medical Journal of Australia these cases show that it is an occupational hazard in Australian piggeries, with potential public health, animal health and medico-legal implications. more...

Queensland Health attracts most bullying complaints
1 October 2008
Queensland Health has topped public service bullying complaints, sparking claims the embattled department is still enduring cultural problems. more...

articles/conferences

Asbestos Handbook for workplaces
released at the same time as the compliance codes – explains what asbestos is, where it can be found in workplaces and the health risks for people exposed to airborne asbestos. It also outlines who has legal duties in workplaces and what their main duties are.

New fact sheet on the safe use of lifts
September 2008
The purpose of the new fact sheet on Safe Use of Lifts is to assist employers who have control of lifts to understand their responsibilities under the Commonwealth occupational health and safety legislative framework. more...

Public feedback to help finalise hazardous chemicals standard
3 October 2008
The Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) is asking for public feedback on the changes it made to the draft National Standard for the Control of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals. According to the ASCC, it has been reviewing and revising the frameworks for the control of workplace hazardous substances and dangerous goods. more...

New high risk work regulations come into effect
9 October 2008
The Occupational Health and Safety (Safety Standards) Amendment Regulations 2008 (No. 1), which commences on 9 October 2008, updates Part 2 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Safety Standards) Regulations 1994 to implement the National Standard for Licensing Persons Performing High Risk Work. The regulations also clarify that certain State and Territory occupational health and safety laws relating to licensing high risk work are preserved to ensure that State and Territory licences and certificates to perform high risk work are recognised under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 and Regulations. more...

Updated information page on asbestos
7 October 2008
Comcare has recently updated the information page on asbestos to provide employers with general information about asbestos, employer responsibilities and links to useful documents. more...

legislation

Occupational Health and Safety (Safety Standards) Amendment Regulations 2008 (No. 1)
8 October 2008
Legislative Instrument - F2008L03614 Number: SLI 2008 No. 201. These Regulations amend the Occupational Health and Safety (Safety Standards) Regulations 1994 to implement the National Standard for Licensing Persons Performing High Risk Work and remove any doubt about the operation of certain State and Territory OH&S laws relating to licensing high risk work. more...