Queensland Workplace Health and Safety officials have confirmed that they will proceed with a prosecution of PCYC over the death of 15-year-old Bray Park resident Ben Shaw at its Pine Rivers gym in September 2017. Ben died under tragic circumstances while he was bench pressing 100kg at the Pine Rivers Centre. A staff member at [...]
Categories of WHS offences There are four categories of offences for failing to comply with a health and safety duty under the WHS Act and SRWA Act or an electrical safety duty under the ES Act, depending on the degree of seriousness or liability involved. Industrial manslaughter: the highest penalty under either the WHS Act, SRWA [...]
Australia is home to some of the worst workplace bullying in the developed world, ranking sixth-highest in a recent study comparing us with 31 European countries. Around 10 per cent of Australian employees admit to being bullied at work, but that figure may hide the true extent of the problem, with much antisocial workplace behaviour [...]
The importance of implementing effective agricultural safety programs has been demonstrated through a recent incident. Queensland Workplace Health and Safety have confirmed that in June 2019, a worker suffered traumatic injuries to both arms after being caught in a machine (trapped by a pulling winch). The winch was used on a vegetable growing farm to [...]
National safety management system standard AS/NZS 4801:2001 has recently been superseded by AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018, and AS/NZS 4801:2001 will require transitioning to AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 within the next three years according to The International Accreditation Forum’s (IAF) Requirements for the Migration to ISO 45001:2018 from OHSAS 18001:2007(link is external) Mandatory Document. Section 2.1 of the document stipulates [...]
When it comes to managing your work health and safety obligations, it can be daunting. Not only are there legal obligations but there are also moral obligations that you must contend with. Navigating these can be tricky even for large employers. Most of us realise and accept that employers are required to continually assess, mitigate [...]
One of the most effective ways of preventing fires in buildings is to reduce the level of oxygen in the air. The world’s first International Standard for oxygen reduction systems has just been published. Prevention is always better than cure, and there are few better examples than with fires. If fires can only survive when [...]
Looking for a health and safety speaker for your next event? Safetysure's John Ninness is a professional health and safety speaker with thirty years of experience in workplace health and safety across a broad range of industries. John Ninness John started his safety journey as a health and safety representative in the Defence force before [...]
Selecting the right safety consultants for your business is an important choice for businesses. We are often asked many questions surrounding the who, what, why, where and when do I need a safety consultant. Here are some FAQs that may help you to engage a safety consultant. Who should I choose as a safety consultant? [...]
Forklift safety is often under-recognised as a potential source of critical injury. Recent cases illustrated by the Queensland Workplace Health & Safety regulator have highlighted the importance of getting forklift safety right. In July 2019 a person was fatally crushed by a portable generator being unloaded from a truck by a forklift. In a separate [...]
