Employers fined for ignoring Codes of Practice; Safety reviews urged after three horror incidents in 24 hours; OHS prosecutions to be fast-tracked in Victorian blitz; and South Australia offers $412K in OHS research grants.
The NSW Minerals Council has welcomed the State Government's plan to ban synthetic cannabis, and says it will test workers for the drug in the coming weeks.
A serial "prankster" whose conduct caused an injury would not have been deterred by the threat of dismissal, the NSW Court of Appeal has ruled in rejecting a worker's $550,000 damages claim.
The NSW workers' compensation target premium collection rate will increase from 1.66 per cent of payroll to 1.68 per cent in the coming financial year, WorkCover NSW has announced.
A NSW employer that failed to properly calibrate a safety device has been fined nearly $300,000, after a mobile crane fell onto live powerlines and crashed into a house, narrowly missing residents and nearly electrocuting a worker.
A NSW worker who was seriously injured at a late night party at her employer's premises has won compensation, in a case that sends a warning to all employers on their liability in cases involving social functions.
Workplace bullies face jail as "Brodie's law" passes; Victorian, NSW and Queensland regulators take action after deaths; New WorkCover NSW inspectors to tackle death and injury rates; and WorkSafe prosecutes employer as record notices issued.
Unions in NSW have regained the right to prosecute OHS breaches - and will retain it under harmonisation - after an amended NSW Work Health and Safety Bill passed through the Upper House on Friday.
WorkCover NSW and the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) will step up efforts to identify and penalise employers that don't comply with regulations for the transport of dangerous goods, after a performance audit described the State's regulatory regime as "weak".
