Industrial manslaughter provisions should be amended in Queensland to ensure all companies that negligently cause a worker's death can be prosecuted, according to a major inquiry report that also makes important recommendations on safety metrics.
An employer has been ordered to pay $120,000 in damages to an office worker who was injured while running to answer the phone, in a case highlighting the risks posed by systems requiring staff to rush.
In a rare case, a PCBU has been convicted and fined under WHS consultation provisions, after its failure to "consult, co-operate and co-ordinate" with other duty holders led to a worker sustaining serious injuries in a fall.
A PCBU has been convicted and fined $450,000 after a worker was fatally crushed, with a court rejecting its managing director's claim that its culpability was reduced by the alleged failure of workers to assess and control risks.
Employers have been urged to prepare worksites for more "wild summer weather" and prioritise electrical safety, while a resources regulator has warned that recent hot weather shows operators must ensure heat hazards are effectively managed.
The International Organisation for Standardisation has released an OHS Standard, available for free in a read-only format, on working safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The document includes practical guidance on protecting employees as they return to their usual workplaces under easing pandemic restrictions.
