A local council that faced a maximum WHS penalty of more than $7 million, relating to an allegedly unsafe plant modification aimed at protecting workers from crocodiles, has been permitted to enter a $76,500 undertaking in lieu of prosecution.
Australia has taken a big leap towards banning engineered stone products, with the country's WHS ministers agreeing to release a "powerful and compelling" Safe Work Australia report that recommends the ban, and warns there is no evidence that alternative measures can curb the alarming rate of silicosis in engineered stone workers.
Significant amendments were made to workplace health and safety laws in every Australian jurisdiction in the third quarter of 2023, including many increasing penalties and making it easier to prosecute duty holders. This major report - the only one of its kind in the country - examines all the need-to-know legislative changes, workers' compensation developments and court decisions from July, August and September.
A PCBU has been ordered to pay nearly $700,000 in fines and costs over the death of a superintendent, but it could have been much worse for the business, which initially faced a maximum penalty of $35 million under a string of reckless-conduct charges.
With National Safe Work Month starting this week, employers are being urged to host SafeTea chats, focus on issues like mental health and workloads, and provide safer workplaces for women. Employers have also been warned to properly maintain their defibrillators.