Victorian: Lead Safety Breaches Prompt Warning
Victorian businesses are being warned of the potentially deadly risks of working with lead without adequate safety controls after a WorkSafe operation found unsafe practices at 11 workplaces in the past six months.
Since November last year, WorkSafe has issued 21 improvement notices to 11 workplaces involved in processes likely to expose workers to dangerous lead dust or fumes.
WorkSafe Acting Executive Director Health and Safety Adam Watson said it was disappointing to see serious safety issues at so many of the sites visited, including one workplace which had no system for managing risks associated with lead.
"Lead is a potentially deadly poison – if dust or fumes are inhaled or accidentally swallowed it can stay in your body for years, with serious or even fatal consequences," Mr Watson said.
"Safety must always be the first priority when working with lead and employers have a duty to ensure workers are appropriately trained and provided with safety equipment."
National: Safe Work Australia Invites Views on Crane Licensing.
Following the 2018 review of the model WHS laws, WHS ministers asked Safe Work Australia to review high risk work licensing for cranes, gather evidence of any problems to identify areas of required improvement.
Safe Work Australia released a discussion paper on 5 May for a six-week consultation period which ends Thursday 16 June.
The discussion paper welcomes comments on any perceived issues with the model WHS laws related to crane licensing from all stakeholders with an interest in the high risk work (HRW) licensing and encourage submissions from those involved in other HRW related to crane operations, particularly dogging and rigging work.
You can read more on Safe Work Australia's page on Cranes (External link)
