A NSW employer and its director have been fined more than $500,000 after a worker fell to his death through an unguarded penetration. The verdict came just weeks after the employer and a related company were fined $254,000 (with costs) for illegally dumping asbestos on the same site.
A review prompted by the re-emergence of the incurable work disease, black lung, has found that miners who show signs of respiratory illness aren't advised to avoid exposure to dust, and company doctors aren't required to have a comprehensive knowledge of work environments.
A major employer has committed to spending more than $340,000 on a safety leadership program for front-line supervisors and other initiatives, in addition to the $200,000 it has already spent on rectifications, after two workers suffered burns.
An intervention that enforced the proper use of safety gloves significantly reduced workers' exposure to hazardous chemicals and the risk of developing occupational skin disease, Belgian researchers say.
Workers historically exposed to certain chemicals now linked to cancer are being urged to undergo health screening in Victoria, under the State Government's response to an inquiry into at-risk Lands Department employees.
A major study has found that while deaths from most occupational hazards have declined significantly over the last three decades, there are a number of concerning exceptions.
Two employers have committed to spending a total of nearly $350,000 on enhancing their WHS systems and replacing unsafe equipment, after a contractor was injured in a forklift incident and six workers were exposed to asbestos in a hospital.
Two employers and a worker have been fined for safety breaches after incidents involving unlicensed forklift and crane operators, while Western Australian regulators have issued a series of dangerous-goods alerts.
