Victoria: Huge toxic waste sites clean up bill
It appears that it might have to be taxpayer money - at least $230 million - which will have to be used to clean up a minimum of 15 toxic waste stockpiles linked to the largest illegal dumping syndicate in Victoria’s history. The Environment Protection Authority and WorkSafe are now expecting budget blowouts amid concerns those responsible for the illegal waste operation cannot be held financially accountable for the clean-up bill.
According to The Age the regulators and emergency services have already spent $27 million and expect to spend another $76 million remediating 13 highly toxic sites and the fallout from chemical blazes at West Footscray and Campbellfield properties linked to self-described “recycler” Graham Leslie White and waste company Bradbury Industrial Services. However, an eventual EPA operation to neutralise an estimated 50 million litres of chemical waste buried on a bush block in the state’s west, is expected to cost up to a further $125 million. Read more: The Age
SA: EWP audit and safety guidance
SafeWork SA has followed up a major WHS audit, prompted by two elevating work platform (EWP) fatalities and a coronial inquest, with three new information sheets on working safely with EWPs. They are:
"The range of motion available on some modern EWPs, such as the ability to move into and between structures, increases the likelihood of a crush incident occurring," the second document says. "Before operating an EWP in, around or near fixed structures, duty holders must eliminate crush risks where practicable to do so."
Source: OHSAlert
Safe Work Australia news
Fatality Statistics
SafeWork has updated its stats page: as at October 24, the number of fatalities notified to national body was 124 - this is 3 more than the previous update on October 10. The workers killed came from the following industries:
- 43 in Transport, postal & warehousing
- 28 in Agriculture, forestry & fishing
- 19 in Construction
- 8 in Mining
- 6 in Public Administration & safety
- 6 in Electricity, gas, water & waste services
- 5 in Manufacturing
- 2 in Professional, scientific & technical services
- 2 in Wholesale trade
- 2 in 'Other services'
- 1 in Administration & support services
- 2 in Arts & recreation services
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.