A coroner has expressed his "fervent hope" that companies and heavy vehicle drivers will cease the common dangerous practice of placing modified window shades on windscreens, in his inquest into the blind-spot-related death of a worker in a parking area.
There remains a lack of awareness and concern about the serious health dangers posed by welding fumes, an important and timely Australian study has found, with stakeholders noting industry-wide education and legislative changes are needed to remove barriers to the use of proper safety controls.
In a rare case, an employer has been prosecuted and fined for workplace health and safety breaches after high levels of the hazardous substance lead were detected in the blood of four of its workers.
An employer that failed to take steps to avoid very obvious safety risks has had its safety fine more than doubled on resentencing, over an incident demonstrating the legislative requirement to pair high level controls with proactive training and supervision.
Most Australian employers in a high-hazard industry are aware of the need to train workers on WHS issues like harassment and bullying, but many deliver this training through single, isolated sessions that are known to have little impact, a series of workshops and interviews with safety professionals has found.
