In its first article for 2006, OHS Alert rounds up all the safety-related events that occurred over the Christmas/new year break. Items include: Two new employers set to opt out of state schemes; ACT executives fined $36,000 over hangar collapse; NSW, Queensland launch High Court challenge to WorkChoices; NSW seeking further submissions to OHS Act review; Victorian employer fined $50,000 over chemical explosion; and Latest safety alerts and publications.
New drug and alcohol legislation introduced in the Northern Territory, which allows rail inspectors to demand breath, blood or urine samples from railway employees, could be rolled out across all modes of public transport in NSW this year.
The NSW Court of Appeal has provided new guidance on how workers' compensation tribunals should assess reasonable disciplinary action in cases involving psychological injury.
A NSW warehouse employer has been fined $130,000 after an untrained, unskilled worker died while operating plant that had been modified in an unsafe way.
The ACTU has criticised recent calls by business to reduce the amount of regulation of OHS and workers' compensation, saying strong prescription is needed to ensure workers' safety.
In a decision it describes as "regrettable", the SA Workers Compensation Tribunal has criticised WorkCover while upholding its decision not to compensate a severely disabled worker for her husband having to care for her.
WorkChoices Act receives assent, threatens safety according to Victorian Minister; Sentence reserved over ACT hangar collapse; WorkCover Queensland explains compensation changes; and Victorian man fined for abusing WorkSafe inspector.
