An OHSS lawyer has outlined the circumstances in which employers can rely on the safety expertise of contractors, and warned against getting the "wrong idea" about two major judgments quashing OHS convictions.
A local council has been fined $110,000, plus more than $8300 in costs, over a workplace death that could have been prevented through a $14,000 investment in fencing and equipment.
An employer that failed to identify the need to both electrically and mechanically isolate a machine for a maintenance task has been fined for safety breaches, after a worker's legs were amputated below the knee.
An appeal court has upheld a decision denying a worker $710,000 in damages, after finding a labour-hire company had no control over the employee who allegedly caused his injuries.
A judge has rejected Fortescue's claim that a union can't seek a declaration that it breached Federal entry laws - after a fatality - because Western Australia hasn't adopted the model WHS Act.
A worker who claimed he injured his knee falling off a truck trailer has been refused damages, after a court found he hadn't been permitted or required to perform any tasks that involved climbing onto the vehicle.
Employers are being urged to contact their chemical suppliers to ensure they only receive GHS-labelled stock from 1 January. Meanwhile, an employer has been fined for failing to report a dangerous goods incident that left a worker with significant burns.
An employer that failed to provide a forklift without blind spots has been fined over a fatality. Meanwhile, another employer has been fined for maintenance breaches resulting in a death, and a construction company has been convicted of ignoring prohibition notices.
