Managing noise creates less stressful workplaces; National rail safety laws progress in Tasmania and NSW; Host employer fined for interlock breach after worker dragged into machine; and Employers urged to ramp up safety for hay and cyclone seasons.
The NSW District Court has handed down its first OHS fine, and appears to have adopted the same approach to safety prosecutions as the Industrial Relations Commission, according to Norton Rose Lawyers partner Michael Tooma.
Western Australian workers' comp amendments taking effect this week; WA brokers' Code, compensation report and harmonisation session announced; NSW compensation-consolidation Act taking effect; Formaldehyde declared cancer risk in HSIS update; and Essential safety news from around Australia.
Western Australia commits to OHS harmonisation in State budget; NSW shift caps retained under national rail safety laws; New harmonisation guide released for Tasmanian miners; and Northern Territory high-risk licences about to expire.
A $115,000 fine handed to a NSW employer after a major scaffolding collapse has highlighted the significant risks of relying too heavily on the "integrity and expertise" of contractors.
An employer probably would have prevented a workplace death if it complied with an operator's manual and enforced the use of a stop button on a crane, the Tasmanian Coroner has found. Also in this article, two NSW employers have been handed safety fines after a derailed train ended up in a driveway.
WorkCover NSW has since July 2008 issued nearly 400 improvement notices relating to first aid, suggesting employers should ensure their emergency-response procedures and facilities are in order.
Workplace germ control urged as flu cases spiral; Unwary employers at risk of breastfeeding discrimination; and WorkCover NSW releases "officer" fact sheet, appoints new workers' comp bosses.
