WorkSafe

A scaffolding company has been fined $90,000 (and ordered to pay $2100 in costs) over the death of a worker who fell through a skylight in the roof of the stadium.

Perth Aluminium Scaffolds Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and was fined in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday.

In June 2016, HBF Stadium operator VenuesWest contracted a painting company to undertake external painting work on the stadium, and this company in turn subcontracted Perth Aluminium Scaffolds to erect and remove scaffolding on the stadium roof.

A rigger has been fined $4000 (and ordered to pay $10,000 in costs) over an incident in which two construction workers were crushed by a tilt-up panel in the city in 2015.

Benjamin Paul Botica pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonable care to avoid adversely affecting the safety or health of others, and was fined in the Perth Magistrates Court today.

WorkSafe has been conducting a proactive inspection program to look at safety and health issues in stone benchtop fabricators.

The program will be conducted for the remainder of this financial year, and will continue throughout the 2019/20 financial year.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Darren Kavanagh said the inspection program was initiated in response to serious concerns raised in Queensland last year.

WorkSafe is conducting a proactive inspection program to look at safety issues in glass product manufacturing workplaces across WA.

The program will continue until the end of the 2019/20 financial year, and will include glass product manufacturers in metropolitan and regional areas of the State.

WorkSafe Director Chris Kirwin said today an inspection program was being undertaken in this area because several serious injuries had been recorded in the industry.

WorkSafe is prosecuting four parties over the death of 17-year-old Wesley Ballantine, who fell through a void in the roof of an internal atrium at the old GPO building in Forrest Place during a construction project in 2017.

Valmont WA Pty Ltd, the main contractor for one stage of the project, has been charged with failing to ensure that persons who were not their employees were not exposed to hazards (Section 22(1)).

On 18 June 2019, amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996 (OSH Regulations) were Gazetted.  The Occupational Safety and Health Amendment Regulations (No.2) 2019 makes changes to the definition of ‘commercial vehicle’ in regulation 3.130 of the OSH regulations. This brings drivers of all commercial and hire vehicles, including taxis within the scope of the fatigue management and medical fitness to drive provisions of ‘Part 3, Division 10 — Driving Commercial Vehicles’ of the OSH Regulations.

A proactive inspection program undertaken by WorkSafe to look at safety in workplaces where machinery and equipment is repaired has uncovered concerns with hazardous substances, mobile plant and emergency procedures.

The program involved WorkSafe inspectors visiting workplaces where repairs are carried out on items such as agricultural and farm machinery, lawnmowers, outboard motors, pumps and compressors, mining equipment and material handlers in Perth and regional areas of the State.

A proactive inspection program undertaken by WorkSafe to look at safety in workplaces where scientific testing takes place has returned encouraging results for the sector.

The program involved WorkSafe inspectors visiting workplaces in Perth and regional areas of the State where non-destructive scientific testing including radiographic, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, liquid penetrant, electromagnetic and visual testing is carried out.

WorkSafe is conducting a proactive inspection program to look at safety issues for commercial vehicle drivers.

The program will continue until the end of the 2019/20 financial year, and will be conducted at road train assembly areas in metropolitan and regional areas of the State.

WorkSafe Director Chris Kirwin said today the inspection program was being undertaken as an alternative to larger-scale operations such as Austrans.

“The two areas the inspectors will focus on are fatigue management and working in isolated areas,” Mr Kirwin said.

A proactive inspection program looking at safety issues in fuel retailing outlets across WA has found high levels of awareness in some areas, but also some areas of concern.

The program, which included service stations selling all brands of fuel in metropolitan and regional areas of the State, was undertaken because workers were seen to be at risk on a number of fronts.

WorkSafe Acting Director Eve Speyers said today service station attendants faced the possibility of violence and aggression on their shifts.