Victorian news
Construction company charged over roller death
WorkSafe has charged a Brooklyn civil construction company over the death of a worker crushed by a road roller in October 2107 in Mildura. The 58-year-old man was crushed while helping load the roller onto a tray truck in a depot.
Multiworks Australia has been charged with two offences under section 21 of the OHS Act for failing to provide a safe working environment.
It is alleged the company's failure to have in place a procedure or system, including a safety exclusion zone, for the loading and unloading of machines and equipment on and off trailers for transport was a breach of section 21(1) & 21(2)(a). It is further alleged the company's failure to provide information, instruction and training for such a system of was a breach of section 21(1) & 21(2)(e).
The matter was listed in the Mildura Magistrates' Court last Thursday.
Source: WorkSafe media release.
New chemical site under investigation
It seems like every week WorkSafe and other regulators are having to investigate another site with illegal stores of toxic waste. Last Friday WorkSafe announced it, together with the MFB and Environment Protection Authority, was assessing the contents of a warehouse in Campbellfield following an inspection Thursday afternoon. Just the week before, WorkSafe, CFA and EPA had discovered chemicals stockpiled in containers at three additional sites in Craigieburn. Then, in yesterday's Age, an article stating that according to a WorkSafe analysis, up to 19 million litres of illegally dumped toxic waste could be stashed in warehouses across Melbourne's northern suburbs.
This stockpile of potentially toxic and highly flammable materials could be more than 10 times larger than originally estimated, forcing emergency services and regulators to radically revise their safety, handling and disposal plans. According to 'sources', the cost of cleaning up the biggest illicit dumping operation in the city's history could reach $50 million.
Read more: WorkSafe media release; Up to 19 million litres of toxic waste dumped in eight suburban warehouses, The Age
Safe Work Australia news
Fatality statistics
Safe Work Australia has still not updated its site since 28 February, at which time there had been 21 fatalities notified to Safe Work Australia. The workers killed have come from the following industries:
- 7 Agriculture, forestry & fishing
- 5 Transport, postal & warehousing
- 4 Construction
- 2 Public Administration & safety
- 2 Electricity, gas, water & waste services
- 1 Mining
To check for updates, and for more details on fatalities since 2003, go to the Safe Work Australia Work-related fatalities webpage and in particular, here.
