WHS regulators have recently issued reminders to employers that strict controls to protect workers from crystalline silica dust will be enforced in the lead-up to the nationwide engineered stone ban from 1 July 2024. The ban will affect builders, renovators, fabricators, and those working in the construction industry, who will no longer be permitted to carry out work involving manufacturing, supplying, processing or installing engineered stone.
Multiple WHS regulators have issued safety reminders and alerts to the farming sector as recent data shows March and November are peak months for workplace fatalities in agriculture, corresponding with the busy sowing and harvest seasons. A particular risk faced by farmers during these seasons is fatigue, which can play a significant role in contributing to workplace incidents on farms.
While fall prevention has been a significant focus in many organisations for a long time, the effectiveness and success of different approaches to address fall risks varies significantly. There are several reasons why different approaches to fall prevention are more (or less) successful, according to Scott Barber, CEO of the Working at Heights Association (WAHA).
Many organisations are unprepared for natural hazards, according to an area expert who said WHS professionals play a key role in resilience and recovery in the face of unexpected events. “Unfortunately, many organisations are not well prepared for the occurrence of natural hazards,” said Andrew Gissing, CEO of Natural Hazards Research Australia.
Many of the key findings from a recent US report which examined the critical organisational failures that contributed to the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes are equally applicable to many other major accidents and industries, according to Australian National University Emeritus Professor Andrew Hopkins.
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.
While construction companies have traditionally focused on managing work-related physical safety risks, they have yet to pay close attention to managing work-related health and wellbeing risks, according to RMIT University. This is even though construction workers are exposed to a vast array of well-known occupational health risks, including hazardous chemicals, airborne dust and fibres, ultraviolet radiation, noise, vibration, and biological and zoonotic hazards, said Helen Lingard, Distinguished Professor in the School of Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT University.
WorkSafe Victoria recently issued a safety alert following two separate incidents that involved the decanting and blending of flammable liquids, resulting in two fatalities and other serious injuries. The incidents are believed to have occurred when static electricity discharged within a hazardous area resulted in an explosion and fire.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland recently issued a safety alert highlighting the risks associated with delivering concrete to mobile and static concrete pumps in the construction industry. The alert was issued following several recent incidents involving concrete delivery to pumps, which have caused actual and the potential for serious injuries.
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.
