VIC: Worker Crushed By Glass In Container

Saturday 29 September 2007 6:08 a.m. Source: Fairfax

WorkCover is investigating how a man came to be crushed by half a tonne of glass inside a shipping container in Sydney's south-west.

Police say the 33-year-old man was working inside the container at Padstow about 1.30pm (AEST) on Friday when he was pinned to a wall by sheets of glass, weighing about 500kg, suffering massive injuries.

Ambulance rescue officers took some time to free and treat the man before he was taken to Liverpool Hospital where he remained in a critical condition in intensive care on Saturday.

OHS NEWS TIP - Loading & Unloading Shipping Container Safety Procedure

VIC: Storeman Fined For WorkCover Fraud

Friday September 28 2007 Source: WorkSafe Vic

A Craigieburn man was today fined for fraudulently obtaining more than $6,100 in workplace injury compensation payments and for making false declarations in relation to his workplace injury claim.

The Broadmeadows Magistrates Court heard that Emmanual Ioane was working as a storeman at an IGA Distribution Centre in Laverton North in 2006 when he injured his back while lifting a box. Mr Ioane’s claim for compensation was accepted and he received weekly compensation payments.

Evidence revealed however, that while in receipt of compensation payments, Mr Ioane was working as a security guard at various pubs and clubs in Prahran. He did not disclose this when he submitted his workplace injury claim form. Throughout the duration of his claim, Mr Ioane also continued to formally declare that he was not engaging in any form of employment.

Mr Ioane pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulently obtaining payments under the Accident Compensation Act 1985 and to two counts of making a false declaration.

He was fined $2,000 and ordered to repay the $6,166.18 in compensation he obtained fraudulently.

In addressing the court, Magistrate Ross Betts said this case was a serious matter and that the integrity of the WorkSafe system needed to be protected by the law as “fraud pollutes the whole system”.

WorkSafe Executive Director, Len Boehm, said identifying and prosecuting fraud cases helps to protect honest workers and employers, and maintains the integrity of the Victorian scheme.

“This case is an eye-opening reminder of the consequences of dishonesty.

“While most workers are honest, a case like this can threaten to undermine community confidence and support in the workplace injury compensation system.”

NT: Teenager Injured By Pylon

Friday 28 September 2007 7:00 a.m. Source: The Territory News

A TEENAGER has had a part of one of his toes sliced off by a 400tonne steel pylon while working on Darwin's billion-dollar waterfront development.

The Northern Territory News understands his right foot was hit by the pylon as it was being driven into the ground by a pile driver.

The steel cap of the 17-year-old apprentice's boot became embedded in his toes because of the impact.

A witness said the young man's foot began to "haemorrhage'' and said it looked "pretty grotesque''.

"It looked bad, but once it was all cleaned up, the circulation came back and he had only lost a section of his toe.

"He is very lucky he never lost his foot.

"I'd say the steel cap boots did their job in this case.''

The teenager was rushed to Royal Darwin Hospital by St John ambulance.

He was still in hospital yesterday -- a week after the incident, which happened on the site along Kitchener Dr about 3.30pm last Wednesday.

He declined to comment to the media last night.

It is believed the pile driver operator could not see the apprentice when he was given the signal to drop the pile as he had bent down to pick up something he had dropped on the ground.

Police and ambulance crews attended the scene. NT Worksafe is investigating.

The incident is among a string of industrial accidents that have happened on Territory work sites -- including on the Waterfront project -- in the past few years.

Welder Cameron Stewart Bradley, 23, was electrocuted and died while working on a Waterfront project pontoon in February last year.

An investigation was launched two days after he died and two companies -- McMahon Contractors Pty Ltd and Hays Personnel Service Pty Ltd -- were later fined nearly $50,000.

In Nhulunbuy, the Alcan Gove site has been in the spotlight after 33-year-old Darwin man Daniel Aaron Burman died when he fell off an elevated platform in April this year.

And in January a man was medivaced from the plant to Royal Darwin Hospital after suffering severe lime and steam burns to his hands.

OHS NEWS TIP - Concrete Pylon Safe Work Procedure

WA: Chopper Pilot Dies During Muster

Wednesday 26 September 2007 Source: Fairfax

A 37-year-old pilot has died after his helicopter crashed during a cattle muster in Western Australia's far north, authorities say.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) air crash investigators from Canberra are expected to arrive on Wednesday at the crash site near Wyndham.

WA safety watchdog WorkSafe would assist the ATSB with the investigation, said WorkSafe Commissioner Nina Lyhne.

Ms Lyhne said any work-related death was a tragedy and she sent her condolences to the pilot's family.

Police spokesman Ian Hasleby said the pilot was the only person in the chopper when it crashed on Doongan Station, 150km west of Wyndham, at about 7.30am (WST) on Tuesday.

"The pilot, (who) was the only person on board, was believed to be in his late 30s (and) was killed during the crash," Mr Hasleby said.

A bushfire that was ignited when the two-seater helicopter crashed and burst into flames was put out by the station owners.

OHS NEWS TIP - Helicopter Safe Work Procedure

VIC: Worker Injured As Tube Explodes

Wednesday 26 September 2007 Source: Worksafe Vic

Using air compressors to inflate small tyres could lead to serious injuries, WorkSafe has warned.

A 27-year-old Warrnambool man last week lost an eye and suffered a head injury after a new wheel-barrow wheel exploded as he inflated it using a compressor at a local business.

He was flown to the Alfred Hospital.

The wheel-barrow wheel was made up of two rim halves which were bolted together. It is thought one of the rim-halves may have hit the man in the head as the tube exploded.

A 73-year-old man died in Melbourne in November 1997 when a wheel-barrow tyre exploded and hit him in the chest as he inflated it at a Melbourne service station.

WorkSafe’s Executive Director, John Merritt, said these incidents should not be dismissed as ‘freak ‘accidents’.

“Wheel-barrow wheels are typically sold as a complete unit and should be inflated using a hand pump.

“Compressors in workshops or at service stations are designed to inflate car and truck tyres, or operate a piece of equipment. They should be used for the purpose intended.

Recognising the dangers of compressed air explosions, professional car and truck tyre fitters often have access to cages in which tyres are inflated.

WorkSafe’s investigation into last week’s incident is at an early stage. Inspectors have visited the incident scene and the business which sold the wheel.

 WorkSafe recommends:

• using a foot pump rather than compressed air to inflate wheelbarrow or similar tyres;

• only inflating tyres to the pressure recommended by the manufacturer;

• when replacing a wheel assembly use the replacement recommended by the manufacturer;

• only inflating wheelbarrow tyres when installed on the wheelbarrow as the frame may provide some protection;

• not inflating tyres on wheels with damaged or rusted rims;

• maintaining compressors and pressure gauges as recommended by the manufacturer(s).

 Special note for service station owners and operators:

• Restricting the air pressure at the service station forecourt would help reduce the likelihood of similar accidents. This can be achieved by installing a regulator (plus a safety valve which will vent to atmosphere in the event of failure of the regulator) in the air line.

• Restriction can also be achieved by using automatic tyre inflation equipment. For this type of equipment, the tyre pressure is entered on a display screen and the tyre is automatically inflated to the pressure selected.

• Information signs should be placed at all air points on the forecourt. These signs should give guidance on how to safely inflate tyres. The signs should also warn customers about tyres, or tyre conditions that may represent higher than normal risk.

OHS NEWS TIP - Air Compressor Safe Work Procedure

NSW: Drugs Epidemic Amongst Contract Rail Staff

Tuesday September 25 2007 Source: Herald Sun

RAILCORP in NSW is in the grip of a workplace drugs epidemic, with soaring rates of ecstasy, cannabis and amphetamine use detected among track workers in random tests.

One in 13 contract employees working in critical safety roles on lines failed drugs tests this year, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

The shock rate of drug use is five times higher than positive detections among RailCorp's full-time employees on stations and trains.

Detection of "drugs of abuse" has rocketed from one in 18 contract workers in 2005/06 to one in 13 this year, according to 351 test results which were obtained by way of Freedom of Information.

RailCorp's own employees fail at a rate of less than one in 50.

Random urine tests have detected the presence of methylamphetamines (speed), MDMA (ecstasy) and opiates (heroin) as well as marijuana.

The rising tide of illegal substance use among trackworkers has raised fears, not only for the safety of crews, but puts a question mark over the safety and standard of rail infrastructure across NSW.

RailCorp has spent millions over the past five years implementing safety recommendations from the Glenbrook and Waterfall accident inquiries.

Since downsizing its inhouse trackwork crews in 2004, RailCorp spends about $200 million each year on contract labour.

The rail operator currently has 229 individual companies listed on its books and these have been supplying everything from engineers to labourers.

Last year trackwork crews laid 85,000 new concrete sleepers and 30,000 new timber sleepers, reconstructed more than 50km of track and resurfaced more than 650km of track.

The Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator said employers have to issue rail safety workers with certificates to prove they are of good health and fitness and a fit and proper person.

Rail unions last night said the fragmentation of the infrastructure work force has left the system open to employing and re-employing undesirable workers.

RailCorp denied drug takers were allowed back on the tracks by switching hire companies.

"Drug users are removed from their work, their service is terminated, and their authority to work certificate withdrawn," human resources general manager Fran Simons said.

"RailCorp will not reissue a certificate to an individual who has failed to comply with standards, and without the certificate they cannot work for RailCorp."

RailCorp protocol insists that workers are inducted into its zero-tolerance drugs policy at "kick-off" meetings.

"The contractor must attend a kick-off meeting ... RailCorp's representative must provide the initial OH&S induction to the contractor's nominated key personnel".

Ms Simons said there was no difference in the approach and enforcement of drugs policy between contract workers and RailCorp's staff."

Rail Tram and Bus Union secretary Nick Lewocki said he raised concerns of contract labour with CityRail this year.

"We know there is a huge labour shortage and we know there is more backpackers and other less stable employees working, " he said.

 

WA: Shopping Trollery Collector Accident

Sunday September 23 2007 1:52 p.m. Source: ABC

WorkSafe Western Australia is waiting to speak to the people who witnessed the death of a 25-year-old man in a Joondalup shopping centre carpark.

The South Korean man was killed about 7:00am WST, at the Lakeside shopping centre.

A WorkSafe inspector was sent to the scene last night, and investigations into the death are continuing.

WorkSafe commissioner Nina Lyhne says it is believed the man was run over by a trailer, which was being used to collect shopping trolleys.

"There is some suggestion that he's been run over by the trailer but it's difficult at this stage to be certain until we've managed to speak to the people concerned," she said.

"Naturally the people who were involved in the incident have been very traumatised by it, and we respect that."

NSW: Acid Spill Leaves Two In Hospital

Friday 21 September 2007 9:55 a.m. Source: AAP

Two people are in hospital after inhaling fumes from a hydrochloric acid spill at a business in Sydney's south-west.

About 100 workers from a transport company were evacuated after 15 litres of the deadly substance spilled at the Ingleburn premises about 8am today.

Firefighters wearing protective gear and breathing from air tanks cleaned up the spill about an hour later.

NSW Ambulance crews treated seven people at the scene for fume inhalation.

Two have been taken by ambulance to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition with minor respiratory complaints.

Workers were allowed to re-enter the premises just after 9am.

OHS NEWS TIP - Chemical Handling Safe Work Procedure

WA: School Worker Burnt From a href="http://safetyculture.com.au/procedures/Working_Around_Electricity_Procedure.php" title="Working Safely around Electricity">Electric Shock

Thursday September 20 2007 Source: ABC News

A Western Power worker has been taken to hospital in a critical condition after receiving an electric shock at the Wembley Downs Primary School.

A spokesman for Saint John's Ambulance says the man was working at a power box about 9:00 am when the man's clothes caught fire.

He has burns to 40 per cent of his body.

A co-worker also suffered superficial burns when he tried to put out the fire.

Both men were taken to Royal Perth Hospital.

OHS NEWS TIP - Contractor Permit To Work Form

QLD: Contractor Or Employee? Construction Industry Confusion

Wednesday September 19 2007 Source: The Coast Daily

Confusion about the implications and requirements of the Independent Contractors Act, introduced in March this year, still abounds.

But it won’t be an excuse for owners of building and construction companies who potentially face massive fines for non-compliance.

Speaking last Wednesday at a construction industry expo held at Lake Kawana Community Centre, Master Builders Association workplace relations advisor Craig Dearling acknowledged while the act was “very complex for the average person”, by answering three questions it was usually possible to determine whether someone was defined as an employee or a contractor.

Those questions were: 1. Do you pay the person on an hourly rate, or square metre rate? 2. Are they responsible for their own defects? And, 3. Who controls the manner in which the work is performed?

“If the answer to question one is yes, then in 99% of cases the person will be regarded as an employee,” Mr Dearling said.

“But if someone isn’t sure, they should contact their local Master Builders Association office.”

Mr Dearling said if a person was wrongly categorised, a business owner could be liable for WorkCover, tax and superannuation payments.

“It could end up costing hundreds of thousands in liabilities ... and WorkCover can fine people 100% of what they owe, going back seven years,” he said.

The presentation was held as part of a mini building and construction industry expo organised by the Area Consultative Committee.

ACC chief executive officer Robert Dunbar said once the idea of a presentation on the Independent Contractors Act was raised, a number of people in the industry suggested holding it in conjunction with a mini expo.

“In recent years the MBA and HIA have both had major expos on the Coast. But neither are doing that this year so we thought we’d do something along those lines,” he said.

“Certainly the people we’ve been speaking to about issues like the Independent Contractors Act and workplace health and safety, have expressed confusion about their obligations.

“So we thought we’d provide a forum for information on those subjects to be provided.”

OHS NEWS TIP - Contractor Permit To Work Form

NSW: Forklift Accident Under Investigation

September 17 2007 Source: WorkCover NSW

WorkCover NSW is investigating an incident where a 27 year old worker sustained serious crush injuries to his leg and foot while operating a forklift in a Dubbo factory yesterday.

It is understood the man was operating a forklift with a pack of steel around 12 metres in length when the load dislodged.

A WorkCover inspector has visited the work site and will commence an investigation into the incident.

WorkCover NSW CEO Jon Blackwell said the operation of forklifts must not pose a safety risk to operators and pedestrians.

"It is important that forklifts are operated by correctly certified operators, and having appropriate training and supervision is essential.

"Effective traffic management procedures should also be in place in workplaces where forklifts are used, to help reduce the risk of injury to both operators and pedestrians," Mr Blackwell said.

"It is also important that forklifts are correctly maintained and operated in accordance with the designer's and manufacturer's instructions.

"It is the responsibility of every employer to address all workplace safety risks and ensure that workers receive adequate training in safe work methods," he said.

"Workers should also work in cooperation with their employers and ensure workplace safety procedures are followed.

"WorkCover provides employers and workers with practical advice on how to make their workplaces safe," Mr Blackwell said.

OHS NEWS TIP - Fork lift Safe Work Procedure

SA: WorkCover Future To Be Settled

Some State Government backbenchers have warned against WorkCover reforms that would disadvantage employees.

A review of the WorkCover scheme in South Australia is due for completion in late November.

The Government is keen to reduce the scheme's growing unfunded liability, currently more than $700 million.

Some Labor MPs fear that could mean cutting workers' benefits.

There is also a push from the business community to make WorkCover more competitive with interstate systems by cutting employer levies.

Some MPs have warned of Labor Party trouble if the SA Government takes that path, saying part of the ALP's ideology is to protect society's most vulnerable, including injured workers.

But some backbenchers argue employers should pay more, to help improve the compensation scheme's position.

QLD: Worker Crushed By Loader On Developement Site

September 18 2007 Source: The Courier Mail

A MAN has died after he was crushed to death by a loader in an horrific workplace incident in Brisbane's far north this afternoon.

The man, 35, was working at a building site in Warner, near Strathpine, when the loader rolled on sloping ground before landing on the man and pinning him to the ground just after midday.

The fatality will be investigated by the Forensic Crash Unit and Workplace Health and Safety.

OHS NEWS TIP - Front End Loader Safe Work Procedure

WA: Work Fatallities Have Doubled

The State Government has launched a new work safety campaign after the release of figures showing the number of Western Australians killed in workplace accidents had more than doubled during the past year.

During the 2005-06 financial year, 12 people were killed in workplace incidents, while in 2006-07, the figure was 25.

Employment Protection Minister Michelle Roberts said the 'Come Home Safe' campaign was aimed at raising awareness of workplace safety and health and ensuring workers returned home to their families safely.

"The key message of this campaign is that workplace safety and health is an important community issue, relevant to us all," Mrs Roberts said.

"These advertisements, unlike previous campaigns, focus on what is happening at home, with family members waiting for loved ones to return from work.

"The campaign theme is 'The most important reason to make your workplace safe is not at work at all'."

On average a WA worker is killed every 19 days, while a worker is seriously injured every 30 minutes.

"WorkSafe is providing a wide range of information to help workplaces improve their safety and health because with some forethought and planning, risks can be eliminated or controlled," the Minister said.

Mrs Roberts said the State Government was committed to providing a safe work environment and had supported WorkSafe with 100 inspectors.

The Come Home Safe campaign consisted of television and radio advertisements. People were encouraged to call the WorkSafe hotline for information on how to make their workplace safer.

"This campaign is about walking in the door after each shift and literally taking time to smell the roses," the Minister said.

"I'm really proud of this campaign - it contains a strong message that should resonate in every home across the State."

NSW: Explosion At Substation

September 17 2007 Source: Fairfax Digital

An explosion at an electricity substation in Quakers Hill in Sydney's west this morning has injured one worker and sent a power surge through the area, police say.

Emergency crews were called to the Integral Energy zone substation on Chaplin Crescent at 8.30am after reports of a loud explosion.

Integral Energy confirmed an explosion had taken place, and that safety officers were currently on site.

"We do not expect further interruptions to power supplies in the Quakers Hill area as a result of this incident," the company stated in an email.

A power surge was experienced in the local area as a result of the explosion, police said.

One 50-year-old worker was treated for serious burns to his hands and was taken to Westmead Hospital, where he is in a stable condition.

VIC: Chemical Handling Injury Costs $60,000

Saturday September 15 2007 Source: Fairfax Digital

A WEEK before the accident that left her with permanent damage to her left eye, Jess Dryden warned her bosses about the slippery floor.

She had already fallen over once in the fish and chip shop and burnt her leg with the caustic cleaning agent that had spilled onto the floor.

On the night of her injury, Jess, then 17, was working unsupervised with three girls her own age. This time when she lost her balance, the tray of chemicals she was carrying splashed back in her face.

"I fell and burnt my eye and a bit of my face," Ms Dryden, now 20, says. "I was in hospital for about a week and I have ongoing eye problems … They never warned me about how dangerous the chemicals were, they just said don't get it on your skin because it will probably burn."

Had her father not picked her up that night and "gone ballistic" at her employers, Jess said the damage could have been much worse.

"(The employers) just said rinse your eye out… I don't think they realised how serious it was. They just sort of shrugged it off and said see a doctor in the morning. But I couldn't see anything," she says.

Ms Dryden has scarring around one eye and is sensitive to sunlight and glare. She also has to wear prescription glasses and continually use eye drops to keep her eye lubricated.

WorkSafe investigators found the lack of slip mats on the kitchen floor and information on how to handle dangerous chemicals contributed to her injury. Four by Four Hotels Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe workplace. The company was convicted and fined $60,000.

OHS NEWS TIP - Chemical Handling Procedure

QLD: Gate Crush Case Ajourned

Friday September 14 2007 Source: ABC Online

The family of a woman who was crushed by a gate at a Nambour shopping centre two years ago are distraught the matter has been adjourned again.

Kathryn Jones, 45, was crushed to death by a 900 kilogram industrial gate in a workplace accident in south-east Queensland in December 2005.

Nambour Plaza's centre management has asked to be sentenced next month, while the cases against the other two companies, Macquaries Assets and KMB Investments, have been adjourned for several months.

The mother of three's fiancee, Mick Hogan, says he is sad her youngest son will miss out on growing up with his mother.

"He has nightmares constantly, he's in hospital constantly, he misses his mum and we all miss her and we feel more for him because he's never going to grow up to know what a mum is," he said.

VIC: Postman Hit By Truck During Rounds

Thursday September 13 2007 Source: Fairfax Digital

A Victorian postman has died after being hit by a truck while on his rounds in Melbourne.

Rohan Day, 42, was killed instantly when his motorbike was hit by the truck at Mt Waverley in Melbourne's east at about 9.30am (AEST) today.

Mr Day, from the southern suburb of Parkdale, had just started his shift.

The tragedy was the first fatal accident involving a postman for some time, and it left fellow postmen shattered, Communication Workers Union (CWU) organiser Joan Doyle said.

"We have an enormous amount of injuries: broken legs, hands, arms and ankles, punctured lungs, but not fatalities," Ms Doyle said.

She said the death came as the union's 20,000 postal workers were deciding whether to take industrial action because of the "enormous pressure" they say they are subjected to.

"They have to do their work quicker, are now timed by a computer system that estimates how long it should take, and hauled into the office if they are two minutes late," Ms Doyle said.

Australia Post spokeswoman Nadine Lyford said the death was a tragedy and expressed the company's condolences to Mr Day's family.

It is believed Mr Day, who was travelling north on Blackburn Road, was struck by a semi-trailer travelling south when he attempted a U-turn at the intersection of Blackburn and Lionel roads.

The 26-year-old truck driver from Tarneit was taken to Monash Medical Centre to be treated for shock, and police will prepare a report for the coroner.

Ms Doyle said Australia Post no longer provided leather jackets to postmen who do their rounds on motorbikes and it planned to take away penalty rates.

Mr Day was married but had no children.

 

VIC:Worker Looses Fingers In Moulding Machine

Thursday September 13 2007 9:40 a.m. Source: Herald Sun

A WORKER has had four fingers severed in an accident at a plastics factory in Victoria's north.

The 24-year-old man was working alone with a plastics moulding machine in the Shepparton factory when four fingers of his right hand were sliced off, WorkSafe Victoria said.

A Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV) spokeswoman said the alarm was raised at about 1.45am (AEST) today, after an initial report that the man's hand had been severed.

An ambulance crew treated the man at the scene before taking him to Goulburn Valley Base hospital for further treatment, she said.

OHS NEWS TIP - Moulding Machine Safety Procedure

VIC: Crane Driver Killed After Breakdown

Wednesday September 12 2007 Source: Warnambool Standard

A PORTLAND man  died yesterday after being run over by a crane on the Princes Highway.

Sergeant Bob Meek pf Portland police said the 53-year-old, who was the operator of the crane, was driving west when it broke down at Allestree, just past Caledonian Hill Road.

``The crane broke down half-way up a hill and during the recovery process it rolled out of control back down the hill,'' Sergeant Meek said. The crane ran over the operator - who was standing behind it - with both sets of wheels and then continued down the hill before coming to rest, Sergeant Meek said.

The accident happened about 4.30pm.

A Rural Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said the man was taken to Portland Hospital in a critical condition.

He died soon after from injuries to his chest, spine and legs.

Senior Constable Brad Brabham, of the Portland Traffic Management Unit, said it was believed the victim was a workplace training assessor.

Senior Constable Brabham said he understood the man had lived in Portland for a number of years.

He said  lead and rear vehicles were also travelling with the crane at the time of the breakdown.

It was understood the lead vehicle driver was helping to inspect the crane and was fortunate not to be standing in its path when it rolled backwards.

``The brakes have released and the vehicle has run back down the hill,'' Senior Constable Brabham said.

He said the crane continued to roll  for about 430 metres down the hill, on the verge of the road, before coming to a stop.

Although it was not considered a traffic hazard, Senior Constable Brabham said traffic was diverted around the  scene until about 6pm while police and WorkSafe inspectors investigated the accident.

The crane involved has Glenelg Shire Council stickers on it, but a WorkSafe spokesman said it believed the crane was now owned by a private company.

The spokesman said there were  several incidents recorded every few years in which people were run over by equipment.

``This is another tragedy that hits a Victorian family and a Victorian community,'' he said.

``The overwhelming majority of workplace deaths involve people doing everyday tasks like fixing broken-down machines.''

WA: Tree Falling Fatally Injures 68 Year Old

Tuesday September 11 2007 7:49 a.m. Source: The West

WorkSafe is investigating the death of a 68-year-old farmer at Manjimup yesterday morning, who it is believed was killed after being struck by a falling branch.

The man is understood to have been cutting down trees at the time.

WorkSafe WA commissioner Nina Lyhne said the death was a tragedy and would be investigated with a view to preventing similar accidents in the future.

OHS NEWS TIP - Chainsaw Safe Work Procedure

VIC: Excator Bucket Death $50,000 Fine

A Kerang business owner has been fined $50,000, without conviction, in the County Court after an employee was crushed and later died when an excavator bucket suddenly closed on him in June last year.

The maximum fine for an individual under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 is $189,000.

Keith William Chirnside, who operates Kerfab Industries Pty Ltd, pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace. The company makes and repairs agricultural and earth moving machinery.

The Office of Public Prosecutions told Judge Geoffrey Chettle that Mr 55-year-old Ron Frost was replacing the steel lining of a front end loader bucket which closed on him.

Another man’s hand was hurt as he tried to free Mr Frost.                           

The Director of WorkSafe’s Manufacturing Logistics and Agriculture program, Trevor Martin, said maintenance and repair work was among the most dangerous.

“Repair and maintenance work invariably means something is not as it should be, and consequently the risks need to be tightly controlled.

“We know from investigating many serious incidents each year that almost all workplace deaths and serious injuries involve people doing routine tasks.

“Improvisation is not innovation. Just because a task has been done 100 or 1000 times without incident does not mean it is safe. What it does mean is that you’ve previously been lucky.”

“These incidents have enormous impact, particularly in regional communities where people are often friends or relatives of their workmates.

Charges against Mr Chirnside’s wife, Allison Margaret Chirnside were withdrawn at the Magistrate’s Court committal hearing in July. Source: WorkSafe Victoria

OHS NEWS TIP - Excavator Safe Work Procedure

USA: Concerns Safety Budget Cuts Lead To Fire

Monday Septermber 12 2007 8:00 a.m. Source: Bloomberg

BP ELIMINATED safety equipment including first-aid kits and fire-smothering blankets to cut operating costs, according to documents shown to jurors in the first trial over a fatal explosion at its Texas refinery in 2005.

"This is a prime example of putting money over the safety of our people here," Sam Mancuso, a health and safety supervisor at BP's Texas City complex, said in an email to the plant's fire chief six weeks before the explosion, which killed 15 and injured hundreds.

The explosion at BP's refinery in Texas City, Texas, spurred more than 3000 lawsuits, a record $US21 million fine by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration and a finding by the US Chemical Safety Board that the company endangered workers by cutting costs. BP, Europe's second-largest oil company, has said it did not intentionally endanger workers.

A jury of four men and eight women in Galveston, Texas, has begun hearing the claims of Nara and David Wilson, both 44, Scott Kilbert, 48, and Rolando Bocardo, 41. The workers suffered back injuries, hearing loss and post-traumatic stress syndrome, lawyers said.

The four were working at the refinery on March 23, 2005, when an octane-boosting unit overflowed during restart. Petrol vapours spilled into an antiquated vent system and ignited in an explosion that broke windows as far away as eight kilometres.

The Mancuso email shown to Texas jurors on Friday was written in response to a management order that workers call for emergency responders if someone caught fire, instead of keeping a supply of fire-smothering blankets on hand at the units. Mr Mancuso worked in the petrochemical plant on the other side of the Texas City complex from the unit that exploded and was subject to the same cost-cutting directives.

"Do these people that make these types of decisions realise that by the time an [emergency medical technician] gets to the unit, the person will be burnt to death," Mr Mancuso wrote on February 10, 2005. "And that if we had fire blankets, we could probably save a life."

Don Parus, BP's former manager of the Texas City refinery, told jurors that refinery workers were particularly upset by cost-cutting measures ordered at the plant in early 2005 because they had complained about safety at the site in a company-sponsored survey a few months earlier.

A lawyer for the plaintiffs, Brent Coon, questioned Mr Parus about employee comments from the survey, conducted by the Telos Group, a consulting firm. Texas City workers said refinery policy was to under-report or ignore job-related injuries to keep the company's safety record high.

One worker said he was told his injury "couldn't have happened on the job, and suddenly it didn't", the report said. Another worker complained he had been punished and ridiculed by management for reporting an on-the-job injury. Others complained that safety needs were under-financed.

"It seems it all comes down to money," one worker said. "We tell them we need it; they tell us they don't have the money. As soon as it blows up or someone gets hurt there's all sorts of money."

Mr Coon asked Mr Parus for his reaction to the workers' complaints. "Those were the raw comments, somebody's perception," he said in evidence.

"I can't dispute that."

Mr Parus said he was unaware of the deteriorated conditions of the operating unit that exploded in March 2005 until it blew up. Before that, he was focused on repairing the refinery's corroded piping, section-by-section, he said.

Mr Parus testified last week that he told executives in BP's Chicago and London offices in the month before the explosion of the safety study's warnings, in which some workers said they "feared for their lives" at the refinery. The plant's operations and maintenance budgets were slashed by 25 per cent weeks before the blast, he said.

"Why were you making $1 billion a year and having to negotiate with the people in London to get the money you needed to get your plant back where it needs to be?" Mr Coon asked Mr Parus, referring to the Texas City refinery's 2004 profit. "That's a question you'd have to ask people who made that decision," Mr Parus replied.

Susan Criss, the Texas state judge overseeing almost all the blast cases, ordered BP's former chief executive officer John Browne to testify about his knowledge of safety and budgeting at the plant. BP is fighting the order, and the Texas Supreme Court will hear arguments on the matter next month. Lord Browne resigned in May, three months earlier than planned, after admitting he lied to the London High Court about details of a relationship with a former boyfriend.

BP avoided a trial until now by settling about 1,350 explosion-related claims, using a $1.6 billion fund created for that purpose. The company has denied that budget cuts ordered by senior management in London were connected to the explosion. It acknowledged safety shortcomings at the plant, its largest.

BP's American depositary receipts, each representing six ordinary shares, fell US15c to $68.21 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.

BP is Europe's largest oil company after Royal Dutch Shell plc.

Bloomberg

VIC: $300,000 Fine For Electrocution

Friday September 7 2007 7:45 a.m. Source: Fairfax Digital

The mother of a Melbourne man who was electrocuted while at work says a $30 pair of gloves could have saved her son's life.

Lighting company Camden Neon Pty Ltd has been convicted and fined $300,000 over the death of Sion Rees, who was electrocuted while changing light bulbs in a display at a car yard in Coburg on April 18, 2006.

The Victorian County Court was told Mr Rees, 26, of Sunbury, had been using a screw driver to remove broken glass from a light fitting.

He was not given insulated gloves and was not instructed to turn the power off before changing the globes.

Camden Neon, based at Tullamarine in Melbourne's north, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe work environment for its employee.

Mr Rees' mother Myfanwy Rees said she never expected to lose her son in a workplace accident.

"I always tell my kids to watch the road," Mrs Rees said.

"But I never thought I would have to tell them to be safe at work, because you always thought they would be safe at work."

In an unusual move Judge Sue Pullen allowed a poem written by Mr Rees' sister Elen to be read before handing down her sentence.

The court has in past cases allowed photographs of the deceased to be displayed during sentencing, Judge Pullen said.

"Every day I exist is another without Sion," the poem said.

"Your life is now in the hands of a stranger who'll decide what it meant."

Judge Pullen said that safety procedures at the company were grossly insufficient and workers were lacking in the most basic instructions.

"The very tragic fact of this is that Sion Rees was electrocuted," Judge Pullen told the court.

"Culpability of the company in my opinion is very high.

"No doubt the death of Sion has caused a lot of grief to the family.

"Nothing can be done or said to compensate the family."

Judge Pullen said she had taken into account when sentencing that the company had pleaded guilty and had cooperated with the Victorian WorkCover Authority in its investigation of the incident.

She convicted Camden Neon and fined the company $300,000.

The maximum penalty is a fine of $943,200.

A heartbroken and distressed Mrs Rees, who was supported by her husband Handel Rees and daughter Angela during the sentencing, said the fine imposed on the company would not compare to the life sentence she had.

"All he needed was a pair of gloves and they cost thirty dollars," Mrs Rees said.

"Because he didn't supply the gloves, we were given a life sentence.

"It is a life sentence when you lose a child."

Housemate and childhood friend Ben Laurie said he was expecting the penalty to be higher.

"I was expecting more," Mr Laurie said.

"Whatever it is, it is not going to change the fact that what's happened has happened.

"We can only hope it doesn't happen again."

OHS NEWS TIP - PPE Safe Work Procedure

NSW: Steel Beams Crush Worker

Thursday September 6 2007 5:49 p.m. Source: Daily Liberal

A man's leg was crushed yesterday afternoon in an industrial accident in Dubbo in central western NSW.

Ambulance officers were called to a Dubbo metal products distribution company about 12.45pm, following reports of a man trapped under metal beams.

The 27-year-old man became trapped under the steel after the beams fell from a forklift, Orana command Inspector Matt Goodwin said at the scene.

Assisted by co-workers, ambulance staff tended to the man before an attempt was made to lift the steel beams. Supported by the NSW Fire Brigade and police officers, the emergency service workers were able to remove the beams.

The man was taken to Dubbo Base Hospital with crush injuries, Inspector Goodwin said.

"While moving formed steel, he has become trapped under steel falling from a forklift," he said. "He was trapped with leg injuries - it was a fair weight of steel. Ambulance officers and firefighters were able to release his leg."

A WorkCover NSW inspector visited the site yesterday afternoon and made preliminary inquiries.

The man underwent surgery and was in a stable condition.

QLD: Cherry Picker Topples Trapping Worker

Wednesday 5 September 2007 5:00 a.m. Source: The Sunshine Coast Daily

A 58-year-old Gympie man managed to pull himself free from a cherry picker after it pinned him to the tree.

The avocado picker was about three metres above the ground when the cherry picker he was using to reach the fruit suddenly toppled, just after 8.30am.

The machine pinned him against the tree, but he told emergency service workers he pulled himself free, but doesn’t remember how.

He was found by a fellow worker at the Scotchy Pocket Road farm who called an ambulance.

It was originally feared the man was suffering back injuries.

But Energex Community Rescue Helicopter intensive care paramedic Dan Staham, who treated the man during his flight to Nambour General Hospital, said the hapless fruit picker was resting comfortably.

“He has had X-Rays and he has a couple of broken ribs on his left side and some bleeding in his lungs,” he said.

“He is in a stable condition and is resting quite comfortably.”

It’s not known why the cherry picker toppled, but the ground it was resting on is believed to be quite uneven.

OHS NEWS TIP- Cherry Picker Safe Work Procedure

QLD: Maintenance Worker Causes Ride To Fault

Tuesday September 4 2007 Source: News.com.au

A MAINTENANCE worker caused an amusement park ride in Queensland to malfunction just weeks before five people died on an identical ride in Asia.

The maintenance worker put "The Eye" ferris wheel on manual override, causing carriages to crash into each other while doors were open.

Fortunately, the ferris wheel was tested before the Gold Coast Sea World theme park opened its doors for the day.

Photographic evidence

Photos of the incident, believed to have been taken by a maintenance worker at the scene, were sent to NEWS.com.au.

Warner Village Theme Parks CEO John Menzies said management was not aware of the incident until they were shown the photos.

“We were all staggered, it’s the first time we’ve seen it,” Mr Menzies told NEWS.com.au.

“(An apprentice) had it in manual override and inadvertently left the doors open… maintenance didn’t report it.”

The ride was usually tested by maintenance workers in “fail safe mode”, which was disabled at the time.

He also said that “it could never happen if someone was on the ride”.

"Full-blown review"

“Immediately after the Korean incident we shut the ride and contacted the Swiss manufacturer," Mr Menzies said.

“After making recommended manufacturer’s changes to the operation of the ride, it was re-opened briefly but we voluntarily closed the ride two weeks ago to conduct a full-blown review of its operation to be absolutely satisfied that it meets our stringent safety standards.

“At the moment we are working closely with Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Group to ensure the ride is safe to re-open.”

Five people were killed at a South Korean amusement park on August 13 after two ferris wheel carriages crashed into each other, forcing the doors to open and passengers to fall to their deaths.

VIC: WorkSafe Look Into Quad Bike Safety

Tuesday September 4 2007 5:58 a.m. Source: WorkSafe Victoria

The death of an elderly farmer after his all-terrain vehicle (ATV) rolled down a hill in north-east Victoria has prompted a renewed call for helmets to be worn by all ATV users.

The man, 76, was found on Saturday during a search by SES volunteers on a property on the Beechworth-Wangaratta Road near Everton.

Although the joint Victoria Police–WorkSafe investigation is at an early stage, it appears the man lost control of the bike while travelling along a narrow farm track near the edge of an embankment.

WorkSafe’s Executive Director, John Merritt, said wearing a helmet could greatly reduce, injuries caused by impact with the ground or other objects, or crushing,” Mr Martin said.

“We know helmets work, on-road or off. Farming is tough enough without putting yourself, or someone else, at risk of a permanent head injury, or worse.

“ATVs are a common and useful piece of farm equipment but great care is needed when using them.

“Understanding the limitations of the machine and yourself, wearing a helmet and following the manufacturer’s instructions can be a life-saving decision. 

“For farmers, who frequently work on their own, the dangers are magnified.”

A study carried out last year by the Victorian FarmSafe Alliance found nearly 75% of farmers who took part in an ATV helmet trial felt safer wearing a helmet, and would recommend it to others.

The Alliance, which includes WorkSafe, the Departments of Primary Industry and Human Services, the Australian Workers Union and Victorian Farmers Federation gave helmets to 100 farmers and sought their views.

More than half thought the model trialled was cool or very cool to wear while less than a quarter thought it was too hot.

Three-in-five thought the helmet was comfortable while nearly 70% said it was easy to fit.

“This study, although small, shows that there are suitable models on the market, and that people should be encouraged to find one that suits them.”

Mr Merritt said employers should ensure anyone using a motorbike or ATV understands they must wear a helmet. That information should be recorded, and acknowledged, as part of a person’s training.

OHS NEWS TIP - Quad Bike Safe Work Procedure

Vic: Two Wall Collapses Due To High Winds

Monday September 3 2007 Source: The Advertiser

A GEELONG West man who suffered head injuries when a wall collapsed on him on Friday is making a steady recovery.

Karingal Community Living client Danny Gammell was on his way to Karingal's Geelong West office in Pakington St when a wall of The Laboratory clothing store rained bricks on him.

The 48-year-old suffered serious head injuries and was taken to Geelong hospital before being transferred to The Alfred hospital's trauma centre.

A hospital spokeswoman described his condition as stable yesterday.

Karingal Community Living CEO Daryl Starkey said yesterday it was believed that Mr Gammell's condition had improved ``considerably''.

``He was extremely lucky and we believe he has no long-term injuries,'' Mr Starkey said.

Mr Gammell lives in Geelong West and attends Karingal's day services programs.

It is believed he suffered several fractures to his skull and that a backpack he had on his back may have saved him from further injury.

An off-duty nurse was the first person to rush to Mr Gammell's aid on Friday morning and bystanders said the woman, whose identity remains a mystery, put herself at risk to help him.

The bricks fell from a height of about nine metres.

Worksafe Victoria spokesman Michael Birt said on Friday that tradesmen had been carrying out work on the building's roof recently and WorkSafe was investigating whether there was a link between the incident and the works.

Gale force winds caused havoc in Geelong on Friday.

In a separate incident, two plumbers suffered serious injuries, including a fractured leg, when they were trapped under bricks when a wall collapsed in Highton.

The tradesmen, aged 20 and 47, were taken to Geelong hospital where they remained in a stable condition yesterday.

The SES received more than 250 calls for assistance on Friday.

OHS NEWS TIP - Construction Safe Work Procedures

Asbestos Trouble For Defence

Sunday September 2 2007 4:22 p.m. Source: Fairfax Digital

THE Defence Department wants to keep using spare parts and equipment containing deadly asbestos because it says it has been unable to find alternative products.

In 2004 Defence was granted a three-year exemption from laws banning the use of products containing asbestos to give it time to replace existing parts.

But with that deadline due to expire, Defence has applied for another three years to keep using asbestos components, including everyday items such as brake pads, gaskets, seals, fire barriers, insulation and packaging.

The navy has listed more than 130,000 items of equipment parts that contain asbestos. The air force and army have listed hundreds of products containing asbestos that are still in use.

These include the P3 Orion aircraft, the Iroquois, Kiowa and Black Hawk helicopters, and a range of vehicles including Land Rovers, trailers and artillery pieces. Alternatives exist for several of the asbestos products used by Defence.

Exposure to asbestos over the past 80 years has resulted in thousands of cases of asbestos-related disease among Defence personnel, some resulting in premature death.

Executive director of the Asbestos Diseases Society of Victoria, Leigh Hubbard, said he was horrified Defence was seeking a further exemption.

"If this exemption goes ahead … we are likely to see several dozen more victims added to the list. They should be like every other workplace in the country that's been forced to find non-asbestos substitutes and have a zero tolerance attitude."

In 2001 the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission declared a nationwide prohibition on the workplace use of asbestos products. It came into effect in January 2004.

Labor's defence spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said: "This is just a typical example of a government which talks up its national security credentials and has been spending big on major acquisitions, but has underinvested in the things that go to the safety and welfare of our troops."

Defence Force Welfare Association national president David Jamison called on Defence to rapidly speed up the phasing out of asbestos components.

"You have to ask the question of where they their priorities are because the health of our personnel is at stake," he said.

Despite being given more than 24 hours to answer basic questions on the use of asbestos products, the Director-General of Defence Public Affairs, Brigadier Andrew Nikolic, said he did not have time to deal with the issue.

"We don't give comments to the media after 3.30pm on Friday … thank you for your interest," he said.

OHS NEWS TIP - Asbestos Removal Safe Work Procedure

SA: Workers Comp Restructured

Saturday September 1 2007 5:22 a.m.

HUNDREDS of people denied workers' compensation payments in the past because of legal differences between states will now be able to apply for special payments.

New regulations enabling the move have been gazetted by the State Government. They put in place nationally consistent legislation which ensures every worker is covered by one scheme only. WorkCover chief executive Julia Davison said there had been some tragic cases where seriously injured workers and families had been unable to access compensation payments because of the inconsistent cross-border laws.

"In SA, people who were denied compensation under past laws now have the opportunity to make a claim," she said.

"WorkCover has, over the past few months, developed a fair and balanced application system for those wishing to make a claim."

WorkCover has given as an example a truckdriver employed by an SA-based company who lived in NSW and was killed at work in Pinnaroo in SA. The Supreme Court ruled he was not covered by SA law.

NSW refused to pay compensation to his de facto because their compensation scheme only covered workers whose employer was based in NSW.

Another truck driver was not covered by SA laws for an injury suffered in the course of his employment even though he drove his truck within SA about half of the time he was working.

Ms Davison said those who had "slipped through the system" would now have the opportunity to apply for two forms of payment.

One was a limited retrospective payment for those who made a claim for compensation and were rejected on cross-border grounds at the time. The other involved ex-gratia payments to those who made unsuccessful claims and those who had not made claims because of the cross-border laws.

"These payments are available to workers who have experienced substantial hardship due to the non-availability of compensation," Ms Davison said.

She said applicants would have six months to apply for each form of payment starting from September 13.

OHS NEWS TIP - Management Of Legislative Change Policy

VIC: Wall Collapes On Worker

Saturday September 1 2007 8:05 a.m. Source: The Advertiser

A 48-YEAR-OLD man suffered serious head injuries when a wall collapsed on him in Geelong West yesterday morning.

The Geelong West man was hit by bricks when a section of The Laboratory clothing store building collapsed as he was walking along Albert St about 9am.

An off-duty nurse and other passers-by gave the man first-aid and moved him out of the rubble before paramedics arrived.

He was taken by ambulance to Geelong hospital.

Rural Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman Tania Whelan said initial reports indicated the man had only suffered minor injuries, however, his condition deteriorated upon arrival at the hospital and he was flown to The Alfred hospital trauma centre where he was last night in a serious but stable condition.

Worksafe Victoria spokesman Michael Birt said WorkSafe was investigating the incident.

Mr Birt said tradesmen had been carrying out work on the building's roofing recently.

``We are trying to work out whether there's a connection or if it's just a coincidence,'' Mr Birt said.

 The man is a client at Karingal Community Living's Geelong West office which is located next door to The Laboratory.

Karingal Community Living voluntary worker Tracey Hearn said the man was on his way to a weekly cookery class when the accident happened.

Shaken employee of The Laboratory, Caroline, said she had walked along the path minutes before the wall collapsed.

She said she was inside the store when she heard an ``almighty gust of wind and a huge bang''.

Caroline said she raced outside and initially did not realise there was a man buried under the bricks.

Karingal Community Living Edlinks co-ordinator Ron McGlynn said an off-duty nurse raced to the man's aid.

``There was a crowd of us standing back and the lady went straight in under the brick work to help him,'' he said describing her actions as heroic.

He said another man came in with a wheelbarrow to shield the nurse and the victim from the bricks before a group of passers-by lifted the man out.

Sergeant Tony Francis of Geelong police said witnesses had reported the man was initially unconscious but had regained consciousness by the time paramedics arrived.

Mr McGlynn and Ms Hearn said the victim was a ``lovely'' man who had been attending Karingal's programs for a number of years.

Mr Birt said strong winds could hit Victoria anytime of the year so it was important to make sure building works were always properly secured.

``To have three incidents in Geelong in one day suggests more could have been done to protect passers-by.''

Part of the intersection at Albert and Pakington streets will remain closed over the weekend as the City of Greater Geelong's building services staff conduct detailed inspections of the damaged building to ensure its safety.

OHS NEWS TIP - Construction Safety Procedures