Browsing: Right of entry | Page 9

The CFMEU and two officials have been fined $242,000 for, among other things, breaching the OHS provisions of the Fair Work Act by ignoring requests to stay off an unsafe workplace pathway.

• High Court's HSR ruling applies to harmonised WHS laws;
  
• Draft Compliance Codes for asbestos released in Vic; and
  
• Heavy vehicle safety changes pass in NSW and agreed to nationally.

The High Court has upheld a ruling on the interaction of health and safety representatives and Federal right-of-entry laws, refusing permission to WorkSafe Victoria and a union official to challenge the full Federal Court judgment.

A safety regulator will attempt to convince the High Court, this Friday, to accept its application for special leave to appeal against a decision that reduces the "pool of persons from whom an HSR can appropriately seek assistance".

A former CFMEU president's serious safety and right-of-entry breaches included using one employee's swipe card to swipe multiple employees out of a worksite, making it impossible for managers to track personnel numbers, the Federal Circuit Court has found.

Two related companies have been fined $24,000 for twice refusing a union official entry to a worksite to investigate suspected OHS breaches, despite blocking his access on the advice of an Australian Industry Group solicitor.

• New on-the-spot WHS fines introduced in NSW;
  
• WHS competency scheme requirements gazetted; and
  
• Hadgkiss fined over false right-of-entry information.

The powers of South Australia's health and safety reps are on the verge of being aligned with those in the other harmonised jurisdictions, with a Greens Bill passing the Upper House last night. Meanwhile, Safe Work Australia has announced its first free seminar for National Safe Work Month.

A union organiser penalised for his role in first-aid-related industrial action has been ordered to undergo training on the "interaction" between OHS and industrial laws, and when it is lawful to stop work for OHS reasons, before being granted a right of entry permit.

A judge has found that two union officials were entitled to investigate suspected safety breaches at a construction site based on photographs supplied through Facebook, but their entry notice was invalid because it didn't include their middle names.