OHS REPS @ WORK

Issue 126 - SafetyNet Journal 126

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Union News
Research
WorkSafe News
Worksafe Prosecutions
International News
Events

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Union News

Activities for reps

A Great Success - 2007 OHS Reps Conference
The Annual VTHC OHS Reps Conference was a great success again in 2007. Taking place during OHS Week the theme of this year’s conference was “OHS – Unfinished Business”.

Over 1400 OHS Reps from around the state converged on the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre on the banks of the Yarra River to discuss the challenges and issues in seeking to achieve the best OHS standards possible.

There were a range of speakers and workshops offering the chance to gain detailed knowledge of some of the most important issues facing reps in the workplace today.

There will be presentations and speaker notes available on the OHS Reps site over the next few days. Read more

OHS Rep of the Year announced
Another highlight of OHS Week was the announcement of the WorkSafe Award winners at a special dinner on the Tuesday night. A record 160 entries were narrowed to 31 finalists and the eight winners were announced before 1000 people at the Crown Palladium in Melbourne.

Congratulations to Tarek Soueid who was awarded the Health and Safety Representative of the Year for his work at Woolworths’ Hume Distribution Centre. He represents 17 employees at the centre, has shown an extraordinary willingness to ‘raise and persist with issues through to resolution’ and has played a key role in devising and flow-charting a new site wide OHS consultative structure. An in-depth interview with Tarek will be on the website shortly.

The full list of winners:

• Health and Safety Representative of the Year - Tarek Soueid – Woolworths, Broadmeadows
• Health and Safety Committee of the Year-OneSteel Laverton Wire Mill, Laverton North
• Best Design for Workplace Safety – GTS Freight Management, Mildura
• Best Health and Safety Initiative for Small Business – Laddersmart, Myrtleford
• Best Solution for Sprain and Strain Injuries – Scope, Box Hill,
  Special Commendation - Capral Aluminium, Campbellfield
• Best Strategies for Health and Safety Management –  The Australian Ballet, Southbank
• Best Solution to a Health and Safety Risk - EARS Australia, Knoxfield
• Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to Health and Safety – David Murden
   
  Read more:

Another true story from one of our reps

A health and safety rep, Paul, recently recounted a very interesting thing that happened to him. The OHS Unit knows Paul well, as he has attended a number of training courses at the VTHC and has contacted Renata for advice on a number of occasions. We contacted him when he sent in this story, and he has assured us that it’s absolutely a true story. 

The rep went to confession to confess his sins. He told the priest that he always fought with the people he worked with in his job. The priest told the rep that this was not good, that he should get along with the people he works with and that it is very important to do so, and so on.  He then gave the rep penance of five ‘Our Fathers’, following which he asked the rep if he had anything else to say. The rep responded that he would try harder because in his job he was the Health and Safety Representative and the people he fights with are Management.  When he heard this, the priest reduced his penance to one ‘Our Father’.  The rep commented that this wasn’t bad… an 80% reduction!

Trades Hall Return To Work Unit
The Victorian Trades Hall Council has set up a Return to Work Unit to challenge the barriers that stop injured workers returning to full and meaningful employment.
 
A big part of the VTHC initiative is to provide training to workers and their representatives. The training includes practical tools, information and advice about injured workers’ rights to return to work. Read more  

Asbestos News

Tributes for South Australian anti-asbestos campaigner
Jack Watkins a prominent South Australian anti-asbestos campaigner has passed away.  Jack was the president of the Asbestos Diseases Society of South Australia and had campaigned for many years to highlight the dangers of asbestos.

Jack Watkins worked extensively with SafeWork SA over the years and played an important role in setting up laws in SA governing the management of asbestos in the state.

He was a member of the Asbestos Advisory Committee, and will be remembered as a champion of individuals and families living with the effects of asbestos.
Source: OHAlert

Remember Asbestos Awareness Week – this year November 26 – 30.  There are going to be a range of events.  Read more.

World Social Security Forum backs international anti-asbestos campaign
The International Social Security Association has called for the complete banning of asbestos globally, calling the substance a “serial killer”. At the World Social Security Forum held in Moscow the ISSA rejected the idea that controlled use of asbestos was an acceptable alternative to outright bans, reiterating that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.

In 2004 the ISSA adopted a declaration calling for a ban on asbestos but only 45 countries have made the production and use of asbestos illegal. Some countries have argued that banning asbestos would lead to economic difficulties and job-losses.

ISSA’s Special Commission on Prevention argued there is no such thing as good asbestos and that the substance is responsible for an estimated 80 – 100,000 deaths each year globally, largely amongst workers exposed to it on the job.
The report is available online - Asbestos: Protecting the future and coping with the past [pdf]
Source: ISSA website

Bad outcomes for OHS under WorkChoices

It is becoming increasingly apparent that WorkChoices is bad for OHS. A range of evidence is now available that points to significant problems related to WorkChoices and how it increases risks for workers.

Research points to the effect of stress, lack of job security, lack of adequate meal breaks and fear of raising OHS matters as having serious impacts on the health and safety of working people.

JobWatch, in conjunction with Victoria University and the University of Melbourne, has released a state-wide study into the impacts of WorkChoices. The study examined the experiences and attitudes of people to WorkChoices who had contacted JobWatch since the legislation’s introduction.

• Refusal by employers to address OHS issues on the job
• Bullying 
• Staff turnover
• Reduced service and accountability to clients, leading to distress in clients (stress for workers)
• Lack of rest breaks or close monitoring of rest breaks by managers

Firefighters at risk from outdated gear – Union warns

The United Firefighters Union (UFU) is warning members against entering buildings to fight fires unless there are people reported or known to be trapped inside, because of concerns over their outdated protective clothing.

The warning comes after a Melbourne firefighter was seriously injured, suffering extensive burns and being knocked unconscious and stopping breathing during a factory fire two weeks ago. The firefighter was rescued and resuscitated by colleagues before being rushed to hospital following a chemical explosion at the factory.

UFU Victorian Secretary Peter Marshall said there have been serious concerns about the outdated equipment for some time and that newer equipment would have better protected the injured firefighter.
Source: UFU website

Investigation finds many chemicals improperly assessed
An investigation in one of Australia’s leading newspapers suggests that few commonly used chemicals are properly assessed for potential risks to people who come into contact with them.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that only one in every 100 of the 50,000 industrial, agricultural and veterinary chemicals in use today has gone through proper testing procedures to determine its effects on human health and the environment.

Chemicals introduced prior to 1990 have never had to go through the modern testing required by the regulatory assessment process in place since then, the paper reported.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald Read more about chemicals

Truck driver dies after rig plunges down embankment
A 58-year-old truck driver died after his rig plunged down an embankment in remote forest country in East Gippsland. This is the 20th workplace fatality in 2007 and comes as WorkSafe begins a new ad campaign targeting supervision practices. 

WorkSafe’s Executive Director, John Merritt, said that given the number of deaths and serious injuries this year, a reality check was needed.

A new advertising campaign was launched at the start of Work Safe Week following on from the award-winning “Homecomings” campaign from last year. This year’s “Supervisors” campaign will demonstrate what not to do.
Source: WorkSafe Media Release

UK News

Manslaughter charge over teen death
The father of a UK teenager who fell to his death within a week of starting work has welcomed a decision by the UK Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute his employer for manslaughter and has thanked his union, GMB, for its backing.

Gwent CPS has announced it will take the action against the owner of North Eastern Roofing following the death of a 17-year-old worker in April 2003. It took an inquest less than 10 minutes to reach a verdict of unlawful killing in March 2005.

The decision to prosecute follows a successful Judicial Review backed by GMB union against the CPS's original decision not to bring manslaughter charges. UK unions have successfully lobbied for the introduction of workplace manslaughter laws.
Source: Risks 328

ILO SafeWork's online bookshelf
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has revised its online health and safety resources to make them easier to access. The SafeWork Bookshelf  is a collection of key occupational health and safety documents. It was compiled by CIS, the information arm of the SafeWork Programme, and includes the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety, International Chemical Safety Cards, ILO Conventions and Recommendations on occupational health and safety and ILO Codes of Practice.
Source: Risks 328

Brazil: Union leader murdered after safety probe
A leading Brazilian construction union leader was followed and murdered after investigating poor safety standards on a site. Aparecido Galvão, known as 'China', was president of construction union CONTICOM and had previously received threats from contractors. He was shot in the head in Salto, 80km from São Paulo. A report by Gilmar Santinon on the website of global construction unions' federation BWI, said Galvão was pursued at speed by two cars. The cars pulled up alongside Galvão's vehicle and the attackers opened fire. That same day, Galvaõ had taken photographs of violations of minimum health and safety standards on a construction site. Gilmar said: 'China was an honest and sincere worker who had received several threats from contractors. Threats are frequent here.' BWI said it is 'very concerned about the persecution of trade unionists in the country. The International extends its solidarity to Galvão's family and trade union friends.' Galvão was 56 years old. He had a wife and two children. A September report said the number of trade unionists worldwide murdered for defending workers' rights increased by 25 per cent last year (SafetyNet 124) In 2006, 144 trade unionists were murdered, while more than 800 suffered beatings or torture, according to a worldwide survey by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
BWI statement.
Source: Risks 328

Research

Research

Stress at work linked to heart attack risk
People who return to stressful work situations following a heart attack are more likely to suffer a second attack than those whose work is not as stressful. A Canadian study tracking 1000 patients has found that workers with job strain were twice as likely to fall ill again.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at those experiencing job strain, defined as having a high pressure workload and few decision-making powers. Whilst the links between risk of an initial heart attack and job strain is well documented, little had been known about the risk of subsequent attacks.

Abstract: Job Strain and Risk of Acute Recurrent Coronary Heart Disease Events [ Abstract ], Corine Aboa-Éboulé, MD, PhD; Chantal Brisson, PhD; Elizabeth Maunsell, PhD; Benoît Mâsse, PhD; Renée Bourbonnais, PhD; Michel Vézina, MD, MPH; Alain Milot, MD, MSc; Pierre Théroux, MD; Gilles R. Dagenais, MD, JAMA. 2007;298:1652-1660.
Source: Risks 327

WorkSafe News

Inquiry under way into city scaffold collapse

WorkSafe is conducting an investigation into a major scaffold collapse in Melbourne’s CBD that closed one of the city’s busiest intersections and could easily have resulted in serious injury or death.

Four high-school students were beneath the three-storey high scaffold when it collapsed during strong winds on Monday 22 October. The entire structure peeled away from the building it was on and crashed into a parked car, completely blocking the north-side of Exhibition St for several hours.

WorkSafe are reminding people that all scaffolding structures need to be properly supported at all times and that strong winds are common in Melbourne in spring and should be anticipated.
 
WorkSafe Victoria campaigns on scuba safety
WorkSafe Victoria will target the recreational scuba diving industry in a safety campaign due to run until June 2008.

The campaign was developed following the death of a recreational diver in May. The diving company involved was fined $200,000 in the County Court after staff were found to be inappropriately instructed, trained and supervised.

Worksafe Prosecutions

NSW – Labour-hire company responsible for on-hire worker safety

A labour-hire company was fined after one of its workers was seriously injured at a host employer, the court finding the company relied too heavily on the host employer to take care of workers.

 

The company, Linddales Pty Ltd, was fined $80,000 after the 2005 incident in which a worker suffered serious injuries, including a fractured spine, broken shoulder blade and psychological injuries, rendering him unfit for return to work in construction.

 

The man was operating machinery which toppled over after it was improperly set -up. The court identified a lack of adequate training and supervision as leading to the incident and found that the labour-hire company should have taken a more active role in ensuring safety standards at the site.

Source: OHS Alert

International News

Massive fine for BP over air pollution

BP will pay over $60 million criminal fine for air pollution, the largest ever fine of its kind.
The company was fined $50 million for a catastrophic explosion in 2005 that killed 15 people and injured more than 170 others at its Texas City refinery.
BP will also pay a $12 million fine for spilling 200,000 gallons of crude oil onto the Alaskan tundra and onto a frozen lake in March 2006, resulting in the largest spill that ever occurred on the North Slope.
In addition to the $50 million fine the company pleaded guilty to violation of the Clean Air Act and will serve three years of probation for the Texas City incident. In addition the company will have to spend approximately $400 million on safety upgrades and improvements to prevent future chemical releases and spills.
Read more at US EPA website.

Events

VTHC Events

Colombian Solidarity Night, Saturday October 27, 6.30pm
Trades Hall Council Ballroom. The Colombian Solidarity Network is organising an event to raise funds for the cost of legal action being brought by villagers in Northern Colombia against BHP and other owners of the Cerrejon coal mine.
Live Latin music, food provided, drinks at bar prices.  $20 per head.  Tickets at the door.
 
Training at Trades Hall
Lots of elected reps are not taking up their right to do an annual refresher course – if this is you, then it’s time to register for a course now.  It’s also important for managers and supervisors, and committee members to get appropriate training.   Go to the training section of the website to check the courses scheduled at the VTHC OHS Training Unit. 
 
Contact Judith Rodda on 03 9663 5460 for more information either scheduled courses or what we can do for your workplace, and to enrol.
 
Young Unionists Network: Union Summer 2008
The Young Unionists Network is inviting people to apply for its Union Summer (US) 2008 program.  US gives people committed to social justice and workers rights the opportunity to do an educational internship working in trade unions with organisers and union activists. It aims to encourage participants to become activists in their workplaces, universities or TAFE colleges and support workers organising in strategic sites and industries. It aims to increase the number of young people who become strong union members.
Read more and download applications