06:12 am, Friday 29 May, 2009

Rio Tinto Alcan has been fined almost $200,000 following a 2008 incident where a worker slipped and fell into a pool of highly corrosive liquid at a NT refinery.

The liquid was about 50C degrees. The worker suffered serious chemical burns to almost 25% of his body and could not work for five months. He was the fifth serious workplace accident at the mining facility since 2006. Two of these incidents were fatal. The company was given a record fine for the death of a contractor on the site in 2007.

In March 2008, the worker tripped and fell into an area flooded with bauxite and strong feed liquid after a safety walkway was removed for maintenance. The company had removed the walkway to the pump when a problem with it was fixed.

But the problem recurred, and the company said a practice had developed among workers whereby they would carefully walk through the muddy liquid, that was up to 10cm in places.

Rio Tinto Alcan pleaded guilty to breaching the Mining Management Act.
Alcan, which merged with Rio Tinto in 2007, said workers had been warned a number of times about walking through liquids on the site before the victim fell.

NT WorkSafe says all Mine Operators should place first priority on workplace safety, in particular where worksites house Hazardous Chemicals.

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06:03 am, Friday 29 May, 2009

A report into the Construction Industry has revealed serious health problems in builders.

The report was commissioned following a pilot study of over 1,000 Brisbane and Gold Coast construction workers between September 2008 and February 2009.

The pilot study found workers in the construction industry drink, smoke and eat to excess, and do not exercise enough. 66% of Queensland’s construction workers are overweight or obese compared with the Queensland average of 61% for the general population.

Around 64% of builders drink alcohol at high risk levels compared to 13% for the general population and 17% had at risk cholesterol levels.

One in five of the workers who received skin cancer screenings had suspected skin damage and needed immediate specialist attention while 37% of workers who took part in the study had ‘at risk’ blood pressure levels.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has pledged to establish a new taskforce, consisting of Government, union and employer groups, to deal with the health problems in the construction industry.

In 2008, the Queensland government launched its ‘Toward Q2 Tomorrows Queensland’ plan, hoping to reduce obesity, smoking, heavy drinking and unsafe sun exposure by one third by 2020.

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05:54 am, Friday 29 May, 2009

The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Julia Gillard this week announced the appointment of Tom Phillips AM as Chair of the Safe Work Australia Council.

The Safe Work Australia Council was established on 31 March 2009, replacing the Australian Safety and Compensation Council. lt is responsible for coordinating national efforts to:

* prevent Workplace Death, Injury And Disease;
* improve workers’ compensation arrangements; and
* improve the rehabilitation and return to work of injured workers.

It has also been given the task of developing national OH&S legislation. It is expected to release a draft Act in August this year.

The Council is a body comprised of 15 members, including an independent Chair, nine members representing the Commonwealth and each State and Territory, two representing the interests of workers, two representing the interests of employers and the Chief Executive Officer.

Phillips has had prior experience as a presiding member of the SafeWork SA Advisory Committee, which advises on OHS standards, policy and legislative matters and promotes OHS education and training. He was previously CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Australia.

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06:02 am, Thursday 28 May, 2009

Source: Geelong Advertiser

The father of a Leopold teen Struck And Killed By A Taxi last month has called for a shake-up of Geelong’s taxi service.

Allan Cooper, whose son Ryan, 18, died after the taxi he had been in hit him on the Bellarine Highway, said both drivers and administrators needed to be held more accountable for cabbies’ conduct on the road.

In response to a GeelongNEWS survey this week, Mr Cooper said he was at a loss to explain why injuries and deaths involving taxis were handled only by the TAC, and not WorkCover.

“It’s absolutely wrong . . . if my son was hit by a courier or a truck, it would’ve been covered by WorkCover,” Mr Cooper said.

“In a WorkCover world, the driver would have some responsibilities and the directorate would have some responsibilities.

“But at this stage, the driver hasn’t been charged at all and there probably won’t be any criminal proceedings. The accountability in the criminal world is far less than in the WorkCover world.”

Mr Cooper said he was not seeking revenge for his son’s death, but wanted to see taxis made safer and run more smoothly for everyone’s benefit.

“Nothing is going to change our loss at all. People going to jail, getting fined we’re not actually that interested in that. But it should be recognised that somebody’s done the wrong thing. There need to be some consequences,” he said.

Geelong Taxi Network quality assurance officer Steve Fisher said he could not comment on the incident, nor on the industry’s relationships to the TAC and WorkCover.

Many respondents to the GeelongNEWS’ survey said drivers were inadequately trained and unfamiliar with the region’s suburbs and landmarks.

Mr Fisher defended against the claims, saying drivers were shown around the region and tested on its hotspots.

“We have an accredited trainer who goes around in a car and shows them Geelong and all major points of interest for four hours, four at a time,” Mr Fisher said.

“But it’s also up to the owner of the cab to make sure the driver knows his way around Geelong . . . and it’s up to the driver to go out on their own time and get to know Geelong.”

He also said all drivers were subjected to police and medical tests, and drivers who had been in Australia less than two years had to sit a driving test and secure approval from an accredited driving instructor before they hit the road.

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05:56 am, Tuesday 26 May, 2009

. Source: ABC News

A union report has found the Labor Government’s new workplace laws contain serious breaches of International Labour Organisation standards.

The Fair Work Bill was passed by Federal Parliament in March.

The secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, Brian Boyd, says he pushed for the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) to investigate the laws.

He says the Government’s changes won the unions’ support because they were an improvement on WorkChoices, but there have always been concerns.

“What we really want to do now is ask the Rudd-Gillard Government in its second term of office to consider seriously a new package of IR reforms to make sure we get rid of WorkChoices completely, because the new act doesn’t do that,” he said.

“I don’t think it will look bad if we go to the ACTU congress and demand more changes from the future ALP government. That’s what we intend to do, off the back of this report that was commissioned back in March.”

ACTU president Sharon Burrow says the areas of concern include the need for strong Occupational Health And Safety Law and equal rights for building workers.

But she has also defended the unions’ support of the Fair Work Bill.

“Getting rid of the elements of WorkChoices that prevented people from bargaining collectively, that allowed the employer to have all of the power, that ripped out the power of the independent umpire that took away people’s rights to act against unfair dismissal – those things are gone,” she said.

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05:56 am, Tuesday 26 May, 2009

Source: Perth Now

A Petrol Tanker Driver who is also a safety officer claims he was sacked from his job on Monday because he dared to speak out about unsafe work practices.

Mick Connolly, from South Lake, spent yesterday sitting on the side of a road waving a placard emblazoned with “sacked for speaking out about safety” outside the fuel company that sacked him.

He said “enough was enough” after spending 12 months working for Fuel Distributors, where as theOccupational Work And Safety officer he complained continuously about safety issues.

Mr Connolly reported unsafe work practices to WorkSafe a fortnight ago and was says he was sacked on Monday.

He said the company he worked for was not connected to the incident last week when a petrol tanker exploded at a service station in Maddington, leaving a damage bill of about $2 million.

However, he said the company he worked for did the same work.

“It was lucky no-one was hurt,” Mr Connolly said.

“I didn’t know the guy at all and I don’t know what caused the incident.

“But we all have a duty of care to ourselves and to one another to Provide A Safe Environment and have safe procedures.”

Mr Connolly said WorkSafe called the manager of Fuel Distributors last Thursday to make an appointment to visit the Kwinana business to investigate the allegations about unsafe work practices.

He suggested Monday but was told Tuesday was a better day.

However, Mr Connolly was sacked “on the spot” on Monday.

He had complained about drains that were not functioning properly at some services stations which had fuel sitting in them.

He said it would only take a cigarette or static ignition to ignite the fuel vapour.

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06:15 am, Monday 25 May, 2009

If you damage your car, you can fix it.  When your body is damaged at work, it’s not so easy.

Bodyo-Matic

That’s the message behind WorkSafe Victoria’s new (fake) body-part vending machine the Body-o-matic which aims to keep young people safe from workplace injuries.

WorkSafe Victoria’s Executive Director of Health and Safety, John Merritt said people aged 15-24 were more likely to be severely hurt at work than any other age group.

“More often than not, these injuries are completely preventable.

“Some people might think some of our ads showing graphic workplace injuries are a bit tough, but they’re not a patch on the horrible reality of what we deal with and what others suffer.

“We want young workers to speak up if they are unsure about work practices which might be hazardous, listen to their supervisor and not misuse or abuse workplace equipment.”

Replacement Right Foot

“If you are unsure – just ask. It’s simple, but it saves lives.”

WorkSafe’s Body-o-matic will be on show at the upcoming Seymour Jobs and Careers Expo on 10 June at the Seymour Sports and Aquatic Centre.

WorkSafe will also be there to answer health and safety questions from workers and employers and hand out information and giveaways

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06:10 am, Monday 25 May, 2009

A failure to ensure simple safety checks had been done have cost a crane company a conviction, $70,000 fine and put future contracts at risk.

Huntingdale Mobile Cranes (Aust) Pty Ltd pleaded guilty in the County Court to failing to provide aSafe Workplace for employees and people other than employees and was sentenced this morning.

Judge Philip Coish was told:

• the company had not checked to ensure locating pins were fitted under a concrete panel its crane had lifted into position;
• it had not ensured steel support bracing on the panels were correctly positioned and locked into position in accordance with the Industry Standard For Precast And Tilt Up Concrete For Buildings.
• The concrete panel fell when the steel braces fitted to provide support were removed.
• Reservoir man, Christos Binos died when he was hit by the panel.

It was not alleged that the breaches by Huntingdale Mobile Cranes caused the fatality.

Judge Coish said the safety failings were serious and despite company concerns about the effect of a conviction on its obtaining future contracts, a conviction was warranted to ensure others ensured safety requirements were met.

Huntingdale Mobile Cranes is one of three companies charged in relation to safety failings at the construction site in Hogan St, Pakenham. The charges against two other companies are yet to be heard.

The Director of WorkSafe’s Construction and Utilities Division, Chris Webb, said the dangers associated with concrete panels were obvious and that anyone involved in any work with them had to ensure high safety standards were applied at all times.

“There have been many serious incidents involving panels falling in conditions ranging from strong winds to inadequate attention to detail when they’re being put up or the removal of props.

“They’re not all fatalities or even lead to injury, but the consequences are at best disruptive and at worse lead to a death affecting hundreds of people.

“Adopting a back-to basics-policy is essential. Ensure people understand the basic safety requirements and that they comply with them whatever your role is.”

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05:59 am, Monday 25 May, 2009

ource: Townsville Bulletin

“He was a character, he was part of Mount Isa, and people like him shaped the town.”

That was how Pekka Tuppurainen will be remembered by his family and friends – a real country gentleman who was part of the lifeblood of Queensland’s mining capital.

Mr Tuppurainen, 50, was killed in an accident at the George Fisher Mine, about 20km north of Mount Isa, just before midnight on Tuesday.

He had been backfilling a stope using an Underground Loader when he entered the stop working area.

The loader he was in fell 24m over the edge of the stope. His body was recovered on Wednesday afternoon, while the machine was recovered only yesterday.

The Mines Inspectorate within the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) is investigating the incident alongside police, preparing a final report to submit to the Coroner.

Yesterday, Mr Tuppurrainen’s partner Lorraine was too distraught to speak to media, however the miner’s best friend of 15 years, Nathan Horne, described his mate as “one of the Isa’s true locals”.

“He was a true country gentleman. He was very, very quiet, but even after a 12-hour night shift he would always have a joke for you,” Mr Horne said.

“When you took him fishing and camping, it was hard to keep him quiet.”

Mr Horne, who also works in the mines, said he was still coming to terms with his best friend’s passing.

“I was driving a load last night at work. I had to stop. I thought it was just a bad dream. I just thought this can’t be happening. I can’t believe it,” he said.

“Pekka doesn’t deserve this.”

Mr Tuppurainen, who was of Finnish heritage, had worked in Mount Isa for more than 30 years.

Mr Horne said the entire town had been shocked hearing the news yesterday.

“When I came home I had some mates who knew both him and me waiting in my driveway when I pulled up,” he said.

“Everyone’s just really down. I’ve had grown men ringing me crying, saying they just can’t believe it’s happened to him.”

Operations at the George Fisher Mine, owned by Xstrata, were brought to a halt for 24 hours following the accident.

Crews returned to work yesterday morning.

A similar incident involving a remote loader occurred at the same site about two weeks ago, apparently caused by an electrical fault.

Mr Horne said if there was anything the Mining Industry could learn from the incident, it was to tighten safety protocols.

“Hopefully this wakes a lot of the workers in the mines up,” he said.

“I know myself that they just push things on people, whether you are new or not.

“Hopefully we can learn from this and Pekka can save someone else.”

Mr Horne’s partner, Amanda Moore, said Mr Tuppurrainen had loved his family, especially his young grandson.

“He’s a character. He’s one in a million, you could say,” Ms Moore said.

“He’d give you the shirt of his back. He spent heaps of time with his little grandson. He was always taking him shopping at Crazy Clarks. He was just a wonderful person.”

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05:57 am, Monday 25 May, 2009

A Transport Company has been fined $220,000 for failing to provide a safe workplace after a driver was run over at a truck depot in 2004.

The deceased had completed a delivery at the depot when another driver ran over him with his prime mover. The driver claimed not have seen the deceased.

WorkCover alleged that the transport company failed to:

* ensure that there were safe systems for Traffic Control to separate vehicles from pedestrians at the site;
* ensure truck drivers wore reflective vests or other suitable high visibility clothing while working at the site;
* provide Induction Training for the driver to ensure that he was familiar with the risks and rules applying to the site;
* provide proper lighting at the depot to ensure visibility of pedestrians.

After the incident, the company installed stronger lighting in the area and placed signage at the front gate of the depot and issued memos regarding the wearing of safety vests.

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