A company and its director have been fined a total of $175,000 for dangerous goods offences uncovered by police investigating a burglary. Meanwhile, the ACTU has issued heat and smoke alerts and called for WHS laws that "deal with the reality of climate change".
A full Federal Court has quashed a company's $181,000 shared-liability award, averting a situation where employers that aren't liable for an injury under workers' comp laws could be stung with a hefty contribution bill.
A leading workplace heat stress consultant has warned of the effects of "heat hangover", which causes workers in warm workplaces to experience the same symptoms they would after consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, and could account for the spike in incidents during hotter months.
An electrocardiographic study of firefighters during a live firefighting drill suggests there is a need for closer monitoring of workers who perform activities with high levels of cardiac strain.
Employers that don't do enough to protect the health and safety of either workers or the community, or to address the risks posed by external sources like bushfires, have been put on notice, after Hazelwood Power Corporation Pty Ltd was found guilty of 10 OHS charges.
The wounds that can be seen on workers who have suffered electrical or chemical burns are just the "tip of the iceberg", according to a presentation at a major scientific meeting that should influence workplace first-aid procedures.
Australia's highest work safety fine and the offence of workplace manslaughter are being introduced to the Victorian Parliament today. Meanwhile, regulators have issued a fatality alert and tips on working safely in heat and with elevating work platforms.
