Browsing: Jurisdiction (QLD) | Page 6

A major company and a state government are among the latest entities to formerly commit to phasing out silicosis-causing engineered stone and implementing a WHS ban on the substance.

A major employer has been cleared of unlawfully discriminating against an impaired worker by rejecting her medical clearances to return to work after she threatened to fight and kick her co-workers.

A PCBU that was fined $250,000, in relation to the drowning deaths of two overseas students, has failed to reduce its penalty by claiming it was blamed for the omissions of others. A judge stressed that WHS duties are not transferrable and the legislation "demands a proactive approach".

A court has thrown out an injured worker's claim that two duty holders should have provided him with a walk-around induction, and marked all trip hazards with fluorescent paint, at a 1.7km-long work site.

A coronial inquest into the "violent and tragic" death of a bus driver, who was set on fire by a passenger, has outlined the "extensive and commendable" post-incident steps taken by the driver's employer and others to improve the safety of workers and members of the public.

A major energy company that failed to implement an adequate visual inspection regime for power poles, and a business that failed to manage asphyxia risks, have been fined a total of nearly $500,000 over fatalities. Meanwhile, duty holders have been urged to assess the risk of heat-related illnesses, after an outdoor worker died in hot weather.

A company that uses 3D modelling and motion sensors to better manage work tasks and prevent musculoskeletal disorders has been handed a major safety prize.

A worker has unsuccessfully claimed he was subjected to 15 counts of bullying and 13 forms of unlawful adverse action relating to his job responsibilities, with a commission finding all the alleged conduct was reasonable action taken in response to changed operational needs.

Australia has taken a big leap towards banning engineered stone products, with the country's WHS ministers agreeing to release a "powerful and compelling" Safe Work Australia report that recommends the ban, and warns there is no evidence that alternative measures can curb the alarming rate of silicosis in engineered stone workers.

Workers denying not getting enough sleep, and fearing being exposed as having sleep issues, are two of four barriers that need to be addressed to implement an effective sleep health program for white-collar workers, the authors of a global study say.