04:42 pm, Thursday 28 October, 2010

New figures show that 743 injuries were reported in Brimbank in the last financial year.

WorkSafe Victoria mentions construction, community services, trades, manufacturing, and storage/transport as the five industries with the most compensation claims. Among age groups, workers aged 45-49 years old had recorded the highest number of incidents.

Figures show musculoskeletal disorders, open wounds, stress fractures, and contusion or crushing are the most common injuries.

WorkSafe deputy CEO Ian Forsyth said 3695 compensation claims were made over the last five years, costing Brimbank businesses over $78million in claims.

WorkSafe Week, which is currently ongoing, encourages companies to keep workplaces safe.

Robert Buick, a general manager of a local business, said he is attending the events slated for WorkSafe Week with the hopes of learning more about manual handling, and slips and trips.

“We want to bring back some tips on new areas on manual handling and avoiding hazards in the workplace,” he said.

His company, which has pallet jacks and forklifts at its worksite, has not had any serious workplace injuries. However, Mr Buick recognises accidents can potentially happen.

“Safety is a big deal for us; we take it very seriously.”

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

09:57 am, Friday 22 October, 2010

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) has affirmed its commitment for the harmonisation Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws, stating that it will continue working with other jurisdictions over the coming year.

Workplace Relations Ministers from around Australia had come to a consensus in 2008 to nationally harmonise OHS laws. Currently, Safe Work Australia is developing model OHS laws that will be implemented by the end of 2011 by each territory and state.

According to WHSQ, the drafts for the following Model OHS regulations have been considered by the Strategic Issues Group – Occupational Health and Safety:

* hazardous chemicals and inorganic lead;
* construction and induction training;
* asbestos;
* falls;
* confined spaces;
* noise;
* manual tasks;
* diving work.

The model regulations are expected to be made available for public comment in a few weeks. The period for public comments will end on February 2011.

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

10:11 am, Tuesday 19 October, 2010

WorkSafe and Ballarat Regional Occupational Safety and Health are joining forces to bring Ballarat employers the Workplace Safety Conference.

The safety conference, which is being held today, puts the spotlight on bullying in the workplace. Other safety issues such as return to work, manual handling, and national occupational health and safety laws are expected to be discussed.

According to WorkSafe spokesman Paul Fallon, businesses have a vested interest in making sure there is no bullying in their workplaces.

“We know that where bullying does happen in workplaces, it has a huge impact on the workforce,” he said.

“It has an impact on productivity and it’s important that employers get the right information so that they can put into place policies to prevent it from happening, to be able to identify it if it is happening and to be able to address it.”

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

08:40 am, Tuesday 19 October, 2010

Safety issues over plant and equipment remain a major concern for the agricultural industry, WorkSafe Victoria reveals.

WorkSafe inspectors have issued over 200 safety improvement notices to farm businesses from July to September as part of a year-long statewide farm safety campaign.

Now in its third month, the campaign focuses on the most common causes of farm injuries and fatalities.

According to WorkSafe’s Executive Director (Health and Safety) Ian Forsyth, over half of the safety notices issued were in connection with plant and equipment safety.

“One of our biggest concerns is the lack of guarding on power take-off (PTO) shafts which can turn at thousands of revolutions a minute,” said Mr Forsyth.

“A PTO guard is basically a life-saving device which protects you from getting caught up in the rotating parts which connect a tractor with an attachment like an auger or a slasher.

“If [you're] not using a PTO guard, you’re putting yourself and others at risk of being pulled into the rotating shaft by hair or clothing.

“Most farmers would have a good understanding of what a fast-rotating shaft looks like. You don’t need a lot of imagination to understand what happens when something goes wrong,” he said.

Mr Forsyth is expecting farmers to become busier in the coming months as the state is expecting a bumper crop.

“Things may have been a bit quieter for farmers over winter – now that the days are longer and farmers are gearing up for harvesting, the pressure is really on.

“Now is the time to get safety right. If you’ve been farming for decades, it’s time to start thinking the job through rather than just relying on your skills and experience.”

Aside from inadequate PTO guard, the safety inspections had uncovered a number of safety issues involving plant and equipment, including forklifts, chemical storage, fall hazards, electrical equipment, manual handling, quad bikes (helmets), silos, traffic management systems, and rollover protection on tractors.

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

02:07 pm, Saturday 2 October, 2010

The Queensland Government is making its presence felt in the construction industry by auditing hundreds of construction sites across the state.

This move is part of the Government’s initiative to improve the sector’s safety performance.

According to Industrial Relations Minister Cameron Dick, the audit program will be spearheaded by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) and will focus on  falls from heights.

Mr Dick said inspectors will also look into scaffolding, manual tasks, mobile plant, working with asbestos, fatigue, and licensing.

“Workers in the construction industry deserve to be safe,” he said.

“Workplace Health and Safety Queensland briefed about 90 representatives from the industry today on plans to target falls from height and other hazards over the coming year.

“Unfortunately, accident and injury statistics show that there is plenty of room for improvement within the industry when it comes to safety.

“In particular, falls-from-height claims have jumped from 8 per cent of all claims within the industry five years ago to 14 per cent in 2008-09.

“That’s why WHSQ will be focusing on falls from height over the coming year.”

Mr Dick said about 10 per cent of Queensland workers are employed in the construction sector. Over 4000 serious injury claims are made by construction workers every year. Forty eight per cent of these claims are made by tradespersons, including joiners, plumbers, and electricians.

“To help get these statistics down, the audits will be conducted by experienced inspectors focusing on legislative compliance, assessing health and safety systems and identifying areas for improvement.”

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

03:49 pm, Wednesday 22 September, 2010

Work Safe Victoria is gearing up to celebrate its 18th annual Work Safe Week on October.

WorkSafe is preparing a series of talks for the state’s premier safety event, which will be held from Monday 25 to Friday 29 October.

The safety watchdog is going to discuss a wide range of safety topics at venues across the state for everyone – from beginners to field experts; small, medium and large sized business across every industry.

Some of the key seminars will discuss workplace bullying; manual handling basics; slips, trips and falls; new legislation; developments from the WorkHealth program; and return to work.

Talks and events will be held in the following areas: Dandenong, Sunshine, Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Bendigo, Flinders, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Morwell, Seymour, Shepparton, Warrnambool and Wodonga.

All events are free, but interested persons must register to attend. For more information, please visit worksafe.vic.gov.au/worksafeweek.

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

12:55 pm, Tuesday 21 September, 2010

Slips, trips, falls and manual handling injuries suffered by Geelong workers have cost WorkSafe Victoria nearly $40 million in 2009/10.

WorkSafe released the data on Friday, revealing that it paid $38.8 million in the last financial year for treating workers with musculoskeletal disorders.

WorkSafe spent most on Greater Geelong workers with $30 million in injury payouts. Second on the list is Colac-Otway ($5,080,011), followed by Corangamite ($1.4 million), Surf Coast ($1.4 million), Golden Plains ($900,000) and the Borough of Queenscliffe ($182,000).

According to WorkSafe spokesman Paul Fallon, the figures demonstrate how common strain-related injuries can leave a huge financial and physical toll.

“It’s these injuries which quite often appear so simple, but have so much cost,” he said.

The data was revealed as WorkSafe announced annual Work Safe Week on October.

On October 18, the safety agency will host a series of free seminars at Mercure Geelong, discussing topics such as manual handling and workplace bullying.

Trevor Martin, WorkSafe strategic programs director, said the Work Safe Week can give everyone the opportunity to get practical information and solutions to common risks and hazards in the workplace.

“Every year in Geelong, we get a great turnout from employers and others interested in workplace safety at Work Safe Week events and this year shouldn’t be any different,” Mr Martin said.

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

03:23 pm, Saturday 18 September, 2010

Victorian businesses had spent $956 million in 2009 over workplace injuries that cost little or nothing to prevent, WorkSafe Victoria says.

WorkSafe strategic programs director Trevor Martin revealed musculoskeletal injuries accounted for more than half of all workplace injuries in the State.

He said injuries to the nerves, bones, tissue and muscles were usually overlooked since no blood was involved.

“Lifting a box, climbing a step-ladder or navigating a slippery surface at work might not set off alarm bells for most of us – but tasks like these cause over 17,000 Victorian workers painful muscle and bone injuries every year,” said Mr Martin.

“They’re the most preventable, because in many cases, simply cleaning up a spill on the floor or providing some lifting equipment eliminates the risk.”

To change the perception about musculoskeletal injuries, WorkSafe is embarking on a major advertising campaign to show these injuries are not exclusive to people whose jobs involve heavy lifting.

“In reality, workers in child care, retail, hospitality and other sectors not normally associated with heavy lifting suffer debilitating injuries every day,” Mr Martin noted.

“Our message to Victorian employers is that regardless of their industry or business, employers need to be talking to their workforce, identifying risks, and fixing them.”

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

03:57 pm, Friday 17 September, 2010

WorkSafe WA is launching a new campaign aimed at making manual tasks safer for workers.

The intervention campaign has been launched in anticipation of the release of the revised Manual Tasks Code of Practice (2010).

The safety campaign is focusing on risk factors associated with injuries sustained from manual tasks and how workplaces can investigate them effectively.

Manual tasks cover a large scope of work, from using a computer to lifting a heavy load.

The safety watchdog hopes to minimise incidents of musculoskeletal-related injuries by raising awareness on improving risk assessments in workplaces.

WorkSafe will run the campaign until November. Inspectors are expected to visit worksites throughout metropolitan and regional WA.

WorkSafe will cover a range of industries, including construction, manufacturing, transport, service industries, and health and community services.

WorkSafe’s Acting Director, Health Hazards and Plant Safety, Sally North, manual task-related injuries are costly, as they account for more than a third of all lost-time injuries in the State.

“WorkCover WA figures from the 2008/2009 financial year show that more than 37 per cent of all lost-time claims in WA are caused by ‘body stressing’ in workplaces,” she said.

“They also show that, on average, each of these injuries results in more than 90 days of lost work time.”

As part of the campaign, Ms North said they will be conducting six free two-hour workshops to discuss the revised code on manual tasks.

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

09:27 pm, Thursday 9 September, 2010

Farmers and workers in rural industries in Queensland will have to deal with new safety rules beginning this month after the phase out of legislated occupational health and safety exemptions.

Dr Simon Blackwood, Executive Director for Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ), said the phasing out of exemptions, which began in 1990, mandates rural property workers to comply with Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008.

According to Dr Blackwood, the removal of exemptions will ensure workers will get appropriate safety training, certification and licensing.

“The phasing out of these exemptions is part of a staged removal to bring the rural industry in line with other Queensland industries,” he said.

“Exemptions being removed from this September regard registrable plant design, confined spaces and atmospheric contaminants.

In 2009, exemptions on demolition and construction work and use of hazardous substances were revoked in rural Queensland.

“A new rural chemicals guide is available to rural workplaces containing information on herbicides, pesticides, hazardous substances, dangerous goods, flammable liquids, and agricultural and veterinary medicines.

“Workplace Health and Safety Queensland’s A guide to working safely in confined spaces highlights the new requirements and provides useful tools and information.

He notes the new guide highlights how working in a confined space can potentially increase the risk of injury from noise, fumes, extreme temperatures, oxygen depletion and manual handling, among others.

According to Dr Blackwood, the changes that became effective on 1 September did not apply to rural workers who are exempt from holding licence to perform high risk work such as forklift, tower crane and scaffolding.

“The rural exemption for this part of the regulation has been extended indefinitely until the new national model health and safety laws are enacted in Queensland,” he stated.

“The amendment ensures workers in the rural industry are not legally required to undertake the cost of training to obtain a licence only to find out when the national OHS laws are finalised that they may no longer be required to hold a licence to operate in that class of work.

“However, it should be noted that forklift licensing is an excellent means of meeting the requirements of the current WHS legislation to provide a safe workplace,” Dr Derrick said.

Licensing of classes of high-risk work is expected to be required under the nationally harmonised legislation starting 1 January 2012.

You can call the Workplace Health and Safety Infoline on 1300 369 915 for more information about the changes in safety rules in rural industries.

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know