SafeWork NSW recently urged the 81,000 agricultural workers in the state to undertake work the safe way or ‘no way’ approach to work following a significant increase in reported agriculture industry safety incidents. In 2013, there were 149 reported agriculture industry safety incidents in NSW, however, this number more than doubled to 358 incidents in 2022 – an increase of more than 140 per cent.
Leading food delivery companies and e-bike providers were recently warned about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries following a number of incidents in which the batteries caught fire. For several months, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) and SafeWork NSW representatives have met with a range of companies, including Uber Eats and DoorDash, which have agreed to educate their delivery riders about how to safely store and charge their e-bikes.
The NSW Government recently announced that it will introduce a bill to create the offence of industrial manslaughter, which allows for a maximum penalty of 25 years jail for an individual or $20 million in fines for a body corporate. NSW is the last state (barring Tasmania) without industrial manslaughter laws, which allow for a business or individual to be held responsible for the death of a person due to gross negligence in the workplace.
Amusement rides, safe forklift operation, traffic management, working at heights and electrical safety as well as gas storage at food stalls have been subject to increased scrutiny by SafeWork NSW inspectors and engineers ahead of the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
SafeWork NSW recently commenced a safety compliance blitz focusing on the safe installation of rooftop solar devices. Inspectors are ensuring rooftop solar business owners are checking the safety of subcontractors and that those working in the industry are incorporating safe work practices across the board.
The NSW Government recently announced that SafeWork NSW will become a standalone, independent regulator following a 12-month inquiry. An independent report commissioned by the government and conducted by former judge Robert McDougall KC made a significant number of reform recommendations for creating a more modern, stronger and fit-for-purpose WHS regulator.
Five workplace fatalities and several workplace incidents which resulted in serious injuries over one week serve as a tragic but timely reminder to employers and businesses about safety, according to SafeWork NSW. In 2022, there was approximately one workplace fatality a week in NSW, but in a period of four days, five people died at workplaces across the state.
SafeWork NSW recently issued a reminder to employers about the dangers of taking children to workplaces such as construction sites, following an incident in which a teenage boy was seriously injured while attending a worksite in December. On 22 December, a 13-year-old boy attended a construction site with an adult, and the boy subsequently fell from scaffolding and sustained a serious head injury which required surgery.
