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what’s news in occupational health & safety?

latest news 24 july 2008

QR under fire over workers' excessive hours

7 July 2008 The Rail, Tram and Bus Union has accused Queensland Rail (QR) of ignoring the safety of its workers by forcing them to work excessive hours.

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Don't go down NSW path on work safety reform, says ACCI

15 July 2008 A key business lobby group has called for an overhaul of Australia's occupational health and safety regime to avoid "unreasonable" elements of the NSW system. more...

NSW: Stein OHS inquiry report released

16 July 2008 The New South Wales Government has released the Inquiry Report of Paul Stein AM QC into the Review of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 200 (NSW). Stein, a former Judge of the NSW Court of Appeal, was asked to advise and report on the Occupational Health and Safety Act the

Report on the 2006 statutory review of the OHS Act (the Review Report). The Inquiry Report recommends that many of the proposals arising from the Review Report be adopted.

Qld safety laws too 'unreasonable' for national system: Ai Group

16 July 2008 Queensland’s strict workplace liability for managers and directors should see the State’s safety laws dumped from consideration for the proposed national safety model, according to the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group). Chief Executive Heather Ridout says the similairty of Queensland safety laws to those in the "unreasonable" and highly-criticised New South Wales system should see both states overlooked by policy makers during the current national review. more...

Cultural change part of stopping the bullies

15 July 2008 The reported suicide of ambulance officer Christine Hodder after she was allegedly bullied at work is only the latest in a string of disturbing reports on the escalation of workplace bullying. In Australia, claims for compensation over stress account for only 7% of the total number of compensation claims but 27% of the total cost. The costs of prolonged litigation are extreme.

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Ripper fends off claim gas pipeline safety fears were ignored

19 July 2008 State Development Minister Eric Ripper claimed yesterday that the beleaguered Department of Industry and Resources had a “rigorous” approach to pipeline safety despite evidence that it dismissed expert advice last year that it insist Apache Energy carry out a thorough inspection of its pipelines. more...

Safety visits warning

17 July 2008 Cardinia businesses have been warned to improve safety and fix known hazards before visits from WorkSafe inspectors in April next year. The industries on the targeted list have been overrepresented in recent reported incidents and compensation claims. In the past 5 financial years to June 2007, Cardinia workers filed 941 insurance claims worth a combined total of more than $13 million and Casey 3508 insurance claims with a combined monetary total of more than $54 million. more...

Industry picks fight over health and safetylaws

9 July 2008 Big business is set for a brawl with unions and state leaders over occupational health and safety laws, with the Australian Industry Group calling for a shake-up of standards and enforcement regimes. more...

Cooloola council fails to probe sawmill safety concerns

9 July 2008 The Cooloola Shire Council, in south-east Queensland, says it passed on complaints about a Gympie sawmill to relevant authorities, but has never investigated workplace health and safety issues at the site. more...

New Campaign to boost workplace safety

9 July 2008 Victoria’s workplaces have been urged to fix any outstanding safety issues as WorkSafe embarks on a new campaign to reduce workplace injuries and fatalities. Mr Holding said while Victoria’s workplace safety record is the best in Australia, almost 30,000 people were hurt seriously enough each year to make a workers’ compensation claim. WorkSafe inspectors routinely visit around 40,000 workplace visits a year - the equivalent of 1 visit every 12 minutes. more...

We want the highest possible OH&S standards: Master Builders

9 July 2008 Master Builders Australia says it has been misrepresented over claims it is not pushing for the highest possible workplace safety standards under proposed harmonised laws. Cutting and pasting the most popular state safety laws will not result in a "harmonised" national OHS system, says Master Builders Australia Acting Chief Executive Richard Calver. Calver was reacting to claims by Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) Construction and General Division National Secretary Dave Noonan who said the MBA did not want OH&S laws to be raised to the "highest standards" stating we “want is hazard based standards rather than the ridiculous national standards for construction work." more...

AIG seeks low OHS protections

9 July 2008 The Australian Industry Group is seeker lower OHS protections through the new laws in a move that has upset unions. The AIG has called for the rejection of the NSW standard of care, which places the burden of proof on the employer in relation to workplace injuries. They want something closer to the Victorian approach, which places the burden on the prosecution to show that the employer did not take “reasonably practicable” action to. The AIG also called for NSW’s union right to prosecute over safety matters to not be taken up in the model act. more...

Bluey gets it wrong on asbestos removal

An unlicensed asbestos removalist has learnt an expensive lesson after being convicted and fined in the Melbourne Magistrates Court. Skye Matthew Lennon, trading as Bluey's Rubbish Removal, was fined a total of $20,000 for his bodgie unlicensed removal job in West Footscray in April 2006. OHS Reps. more...

Govt figures shut down opposition safety claims

10 July 2008 The State Government has cut down Opposition claims safety breaches are regularly going "unreported" on Gold Coast construction sites, revealing 2300 workplace assessments were conducted in the region last year. On Sunday Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations Tim Nicholls called for his Government opponent to explain how his department is "missing workplace safety breaches that are picked up by union spot checks". He also accused departments responsible for workplace safety of "simply ignoring workplace health and safety breaches until there was an accident".

Builders Reject CFMEU Safety Claim

9 July 2008 The attack by the CFMEU alleging that Master Builders stands for a reduction in safety in the building and construction industry is rejected by Master Builders Australia, the peak building and construction industry association. more...

Safety procedure breakdown blamed for electrocution

7 July 2008 Acompany has been fined $190,000 for its failure to enforce a safe system of work at a Sydney telephone exchange following the electrocution of a worker. In the court sequel to the January 2003 fatality at Marrickville telephone exchange, Stowe Australia Pty Ltd was fined $190,000 after being found guilty of a breach of section 8(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000. more...

publications/conferences

New OHS code simplifies safety compliance

10 July 2008 The Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008, which came into effect on 12 June 2008, provides a more streamlined and practical approach to achieving safety in the workplace. To inform organisations about the latest changes, we have created a Frequently Asked Questions page which includes information on the main changes, along with details on current developments. You can access the OHS Code 2008 via the Comcare website.

Queensland Pre-1992 paper occupational licences no longer valid

New regulations to streamline licensing and training of Queensland workers who operate plant or perform high risk duties take effect from 1 July 2008. This includes scaffolders, plant operators, boiler/machine operators, crane operators, hoist drivers, doggers and riggers, engine/engineer drivers and engineers certificate holders. Use the convenient online notification form at www.deir.qld.gov.au or call the WHSQ Licensing Hotline on 1300 655 986.

Owner's Have Ultimate Responsibility to Maintain

Adrian Righele, Manager of Safety Measures, sees the need to remind NSW building owners and property managers of their responsibilities for the maintenance of fire safety measures in their buildings under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000. more...

BCA: Changes to EWIS Terminology

Roman Cwyk, Senior Building Surveyor of Hendry, reports that the fire safety terminology of emergency warning and intercommunication systems (EWIS), BCA E4.9, has been amended in BCA 2008 to be referred to now as ‘sound system and intercom systems for emergency purposes’. more...

WorkSafe Vic issues response to Qld deaths

Following the recent double fatality in Queensland where a scaffold collapsed, WorkSafe Vic has issued warning and reminded industry of a booklet and guide produced some years ago: What you need to know about Suspended Scaffolds more...