The South Australian Opposition has called for SafeWork SA's powers to be limited under the proposed WHS Act, and warned that some employers face "massive" levy increases under WorkCover's new experience rating system.
In this article, OHS Alert looks at a discussion paper on engineering controls for quad-bikes, the ACT's plan to establish an industrial court for safety issues, new harmonisation guides from Queensland, a Western Australian workers' comp Bill, and more.
Employers must conduct periodic inspections and have preventative maintenance systems in place for cranes, the NSW Industrial Court has advised, in fining an employer and its director over serious workplace injuries.
A South Australian employer that discussed the potential safety risks of a crane lift with workers before performing the hazardous task - which ended in a near miss - has been cleared, once again, of OHS breaches.
Victorian employer fined $90k for informal training process; Business blitz issues 85 improvement notices; and Tasmanian employers urged to attend workshops with new WHS Act looming.
A NSW company director has been fined $30,000, after a 15-year-old apprentice labourer suffered horrific injuries, and later died in hospital, when he became entangled in an unguarded machine.
Repeat OHS offender in Queensland fined $120k after two more incidents; WorkCover NSW investigating industrial estate death; Comcare leads by example with workplace move; and New Western Australian Resources Safety boss appointed.
An anti-bullying tool has been developed by WorkCover NSW to help employers eradicate the "$100 million" workplace problem. Also in this article, the NSW Government has injected $1 million into research to reduce the high quad-bike-related fatality rate.
In a message that applies to all industries, farm employers are being urged - as part of national Farm Safety Week, commencing today - to improve OHS by upgrading their machinery and processes.
