11:21 pm, Wednesday 25 May, 2011

Following a prosecution by SafeWork SA, a construction company has been fined $30,000 over safety lapses that resulted in a worker falling from the Rapid Bay Jetty, Adelaide.

The man suffered injuries which include a fractured vertebra, two broken ribs, a broken wrist and severe bruising.

The company pleaded guilty to a breach of section 19(1) of the Occupational Health Safety and Welfare 1986 in failing to ensure the health and safety of an employee at work.

The incident occurred in October 2008 during construction works at the jetty.

The 49 year old man was operating a truck-mounted crane when he attempted to climb over one of the outriggers, which was securing the vehicle, in order to access the rear of the crane.  In doing so, he slipped and fell about 5 metres from the jetty onto rocks lying in shallow water below.

It was found there was little in the way of fall protection set up around the worksite or any safe system of work in place.

The company addressed all necessary safety deficiencies shortly afterwards.

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11:21 pm, Tuesday 17 May, 2011

The South Australian Industrial Court has fined a construction company $30,000 over the injuries suffered by a worker who fell from a jetty, south of Adelaide.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching occupational health and safety laws by failing to ensure the health and safety of an employee at work.

The incident occurred in October 2008 during construction works at the Rapid Bay Jetty.

A 49-year-old man was operating a truck-mounted crane as part of repair works to the jetty when he fell about 5m onto some rocks when he tried to climb over one of the outriggers on the crane.

He suffered a fractured vertebrae, two broken ribs, a broken wrist and severe bruising.

SafeWork SA told the court there was inadequate fall protection set up around the worksite or any safe system of work in place, despite the obvious and foreseeable danger.

The company addressed all the necessary safety concerns soon after the incident.

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09:19 am, Friday 5 November, 2010

The SA Industrial Relations Court has fined a building site in the northern suburbs.

According to SafeWork SA, the construction company placed its employee and others at risk over its unsafe lifting operation of a concrete panel.

The court was told a crane was being used to lift pre-cast concrete panels in Marc 2007 when the its outrigger came off its blocks. This caused the crane to topple, striking another concrete panel in the process.

SafeWork SA told the court that the company did not undertake an adequate risk assessment and hazard identification was, and that it failed to ensure the lift was within the crane’s working limits.

The company was convicted and fined $15,000 by Industrial Magistrate Michael Ardlie.

SafeWork SA said the construction sector must always take the dangers of working with tilt-up concrete panels into account.

“Because of the size and weight of these panels, there are often no second chances if one comes loose,” says SafeWork acting executive director, Bryan Russell.

“Extra safety procedures and precautions must always be in place when undertaking this type of work because the consequences of mistakes or oversights can be tragic and catastrophic.”

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07:40 am, Wednesday 20 October, 2010

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is reminding businesses of the amendments to the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008 and the Dangerous Goods Safety Management Regulation 2001

The hazardous substance and dangerous goods legislation.

This development affects all chemical products imported, prepared for export, or manufactured in Queensland.

Other key amendments are in connection with:

* the application of asbestos regulations to buildings previously not covered by local government approval;
* extending the rural exemption for high risk and crane occupations);
* extending the transition period for adoption of the national units of competency and national assessment instruments for high risk work for another 12 months;
* updating references to Australian Standards;
* development of a new competency option for underwater diving work.

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08:02 am, Tuesday 19 October, 2010

There may be a cancer cluster among Sydney Harbour Bridge painters and maintenance workers, a union claims.

Members of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) had met with the management of Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) on Thursday to raise the issue of cancer cases among bridge workers.

According to the union, the RTA has agreed to look into the issue and review existing work practices.

CFMEU is concerned about the health of crane operators due to their continued exposure to lead paint.

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09:24 am, Tuesday 21 September, 2010

WorkSafe WA is gearing up for the changes in licensing requirements for high-risk workers by visiting construction sites starting October 1.

A new WorkSafe campaign will target people employed in crane operations.

Inspectors will visit metropolitan and regional WA construction sites to ensure stake holders know about the new licensing requirements for high risk construction jobs.

The regulatory changes were introduced in 2007 and will soon be taking full effect for people performing high-risk work.

According to WorkSafe’s Chris Kirwin, workers whose Certificate of Competency was issued before 2002 will no longer be permitted to work without a High-Risk Work licence.

He said a total phase out of Certificates of Competency will take effect on 30 June 2012, and the new licence will be required for all high-risk workers.

“appropriate training,” Mr Kirwin said.

“Under the licensing system we can be confident that high-risk workers will have achieved a minimum standard of competency and safety awareness.

“And because the licences are recognised throughout Australia, workers will be able to transfer between states more easily.”

Mr Kirwin said the campaign serves mainly as an information drive, but inspector will issue improvement notices if safety breaches are found.

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01:18 pm, Monday 26 July, 2010

The suspension of site safety audit.

Work was suspended after a 35-year-old worker died at the site on July 16. The use of a soft sling lift has been blamed for the death of the worker.

The man was hit by a steel beam after the soft sling holding it snapped.

Project managers and three unions conducted a joint audit and identified around 300 safety issues that needed attention.

Unions said other issues include rubbish build-up.

Improvements are being made on the safety issues identified. Darren Roberts from the construction union said workers appreciate that the problems are being addressed.

However, he said it is a tragedy a worker had to die for the safety concerns to be emphasised.

“It’s the most despicable aspect of our industry, it’s high risk,” he said.

Circumstances surrounding the worker’s death are still being investigated.

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01:09 pm, Tuesday 20 July, 2010

Work at 27 wharves has resumed on Wednesday after workers staged 24-hour stop work action the day before.

The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has called a 24-hour walk-off at wharves across the country after the death of a wharf worker on July 13.

The 41-year-old Merlbourne man was killed during pick-up and delivery operations at a dock in West Melbourne.

According to authorities, the worker was crushed to death by a 2.7-tonne steel beam as it was being lifted by a crane.

The walk-off was brought about by concern on worker safety as the July 13 incident was the third dock worker fatality in five months.

MUA said the shutdown also aimed to underscore the need for improved government regulation and enforcement and worker training.

MUA’s Paddy Crumlin said conditions need to change.

“We need to start getting some commitments off people that they’re going to fix this,” he said.

“That we’re going to have a single safety standard in this country, we’re going to have a single point of enforcement. That there is going to be training, that there’s not going to be casualisation and short cuts on labour at the expense of people’s lives.”

A spokesman for the West Melbourne dock operator said the company was investigating the cause of the incident and that counseling is being offered to its workers.

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07:35 am, Wednesday 30 June, 2010

The Fremantle Magistrates Court has fined a residential construction work was going on. The crane narrowly missed other workers in the site.

The crane operator pleaded guilty to failing to endure his safety and the safety of others. He was fined $8000 by the court.

The incident took place in March 2009 in a construction site where a two-storey house was being built.

The defendant was driving a crane to the site and set up the crane with its outrigger on soft sand and the front jack on a pile of bricks.

The dogman wanted to make sure the crane could reach the necessary position, so he asked defendant to do a trial run without any attached load.

The supports collapsed under the crane while the defendant was doing the practice run. The machine tipped over onto its right side and came to rest on the building and scaffolding.

The crane did not hit any worker, although one had to run to avoid the falling crane.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne stresses the importance of safety procedures around machinery such as cranes.

“Setting up a crane on a solid foundation is one of the fundamental principals of crane operation, but one that was not observed in this case,” she said.

“The crane operator placed himself and another four employees in danger of being injured or even killed by the crane when it fell. If the crane had been loaded, the danger would have been even greater.

“This case should serve as a reminder that employers have an obligation to ensure that cranes are operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions at all times.”

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04:54 pm, Saturday 19 June, 2010

A salmon producer has asked the Hobart Magistrates Court to drop the charges against it in connection with a worker fatality.

The 19-year-old Dover native died in a workplace incident while on board one of the company’s fishing boats near Surveyors Bay in March 2009.

A large crane fell on him, causing serious chest injuries that eventually led to his death.

The young man, who was also a well-known local football player, had just got engaged when the accident took place.

The salmon farmer is being prosecuted for several charges, including failure to provide training and instruction to ensure worker safety.

The company’s lawyer had entered a plea in the Court under a seldom used Criminal Justice Act provision halting further proceedings.

According to Magistrate Olivia McTaggart, the plea is an unusual one that needs a lengthy explanation.

Magistrate McTaggart adjourned the case until later this month.

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