Residual current devices (RCDs) should be installed in all workplaces, regardless of the construction date, while defibrillators need to be more widely available, particularly at remote sites, an inquest into an electrocution has found.
An investigation report on a vehicle collision at a workplace, whose operator was recently charged over another collision that seriously injured a labour-hire worker, has called for employers to establish segregated roadways and apply engineering controls.
An appeals court has confirmed that a major employer negligently transferred an already traumatised worker back into a role where she was exposed to violent and confronting scenes.
Safe Work Australia members have agreed to start transitioning to a new chemical safety system within six months, while SWA has released a practical guide to managing ultraviolet radiation risks and a 60-page workers' comp report, and a WHS regulator has outlined safety duties relating to poor air quality.
Employers have a high degree of responsibility to prevent foreseeable risks arising from criminal conduct by third parties, a court has highlighted in awarding nearly $300,000 in damages to a worker who developed psychological injuries after an attempted robbery.
Many employers continue to rely on administrative controls like training in lifting techniques and stretching to tackle work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) risks, despite strong evidence that these strategies don't work, according to a report prepared for Safe Work Australia.
In light of the ongoing catastrophic bushfires in NSW and other parts of the country, a WHS regulator has urged employers to revise their emergency plans to ensure they comply with safety laws and protect workers. Meanwhile, a company director has been prosecuted after two workers were seriously injured within two hours on a non-commissioned machine.
