A major employer that failed to ensure a quarry road and a windrow complied with industry guidance has been fined $130,000, after a loaded haul truck breached the windrow and plunged 15 metres, killing the driver.
An "administrative" worker who was required to undertake repetitive bending work for a "long duration" - without adequate rest breaks or appropriate equipment - has been awarded more than $1.3 million in damages, after a court found her host employer negligently caused her lower back pain and secondary psychological injury.
A company manager has been fined $60,000 for neglect, in the last of a series of safety cases involving a teenager's death, a high-level corporate penalty and a former Olympic boxer who was recently jailed for more than a decade in New Zealand.
A worker who was assaulted while socialising with teenage girls "during a journey arising out of or in the course of [his] employment", has been denied compensation under both the High Court test for interval injuries and the journey "deviation" test.
This week's resignation of the Western Australian Premier, who cited exhaustion, underscores that employers need strong safety systems to prevent burnout in leaders, including avenues for staff to raise concerns if their managers are showing symptoms, a senior HR and management academic says.
A worker who claimed she was fired for exercising her workplace rights, under health and safety laws, has had her adverse action claim denied, with a court finding she was terminated for performance and disciplinary issues.