Pinned worker's injuries preventable
Jeld-Wen Glass Australia Pty Ltd (the Company) operates a glass processing factory in Rowville, south-east Melbourne. On 9 August 2016, an employee was using a crane to move large glass blocks to a storage rack.
Case Law
'Borrowed' skid steer results in fatality
In June 2015, Phelpsys Constructions was performing landscaping works at a residential property. On 9 June, after work had finished, the site supervisor left a skid steer that was used for earthmoving in the garage of the property owner with the intention of returning to collect it at a later date.
Fines increased on appeal
Mac Farms Pty Ltd manages six banana farms in Queensland. Around 50% of its employees are backpackers completing their mandatory farm work. Mac Plant Pty Ltd owns and supplies machinery including tractors to the farm operator.
$400,000 penalty for overdose
Ambulance Victoria paramedics are regularly required to administer the drugs morphine and fentanyl for pain relief. Ambulance Victoria had a system of work in place for the disposal of leftover pain relief drugs
Policies didn't incorporate relevant Australian Standards
Don’t Stop the Party (Company) operates a business specialising in hiring out, installing and dismantling jumping castles. In 2017, one of the Company’s jumping castles was dislodged by a gust of wind and tumbled 50 metres away with a child inside.
Huge fines for removing equipment's safety features
A recent NSW case has highlighted the significant penalties that will be imposed by a court if a business modifies equipment to purposely remove in-built safety features.
Worker 'scalped' in conveyor belt incident
In 2015, an employee of Broadspectrum (Australia) Pty Ltd (Company) was on a worksite gathering materials from a rack that was located outdoors and had corroded over time. The activity resulted in the rack collapsing and the employee suffering a fatal head injury.
Rack collapse causes death and costs company almost $300,000
In 2015, an employee of Broadspectrum (Australia) Pty Ltd (Company) was on a worksite gathering materials from a rack that was located outdoors and had corroded over time. The activity resulted in the rack collapsing and the employee suffering a fatal head injury.
Kerosene fireball engulfs worker
In 2015, CRS NSW (Company) was sealing a driveway at a worksite in Wagga Wagga. The cold weather solidified some spilled substance on the side of the company vehicle.
High-risk explosion injures two workers
Two workers were decanting all-purpose thinners from a leaking 1,000L bulk container into another bulk container. The leaking container was resting on a pair of forklift tines during the decanting process.
No safety systems in place to prevent fall from height
An employee of the Travcar Family Trust, trading as Browns Engineering (Travcar) was working from heights in a scissor lift. The employee was screwing into place a roofing sheet when it slipped sideways, exposing a hole in the roof.
Worker becomes trapped under toppled forklift
Wodonga Rendering Pty Ltd (Company) operated an abattoir that used rendering plant to process raw materials. On the day of the incident, workers were transporting bags of blood meal into a semi-trailer using a forklift with a lifting attachment and an Attollo rotator.
Company fails to implement an adequate safe system of work to address the risk of working near powerlines
Redback Tree Services (Company) is involved in tree maintenance and removal. The Company was contracted to a residential site to remove two trees that were located near a set of powerlines.
Contractor's decision to change a safe method of work results in injury
Mr Tolputt was as a specialist climber engaged by Bradshaw Tree Services to access and dismantle a tree that had collapsed on a house during a storm.
Inexperienced worker injured in high-risk task
Hydro Clean (Griffith) Pty Ltd (Company) pleaded guilty under s 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 after failing to comply with its duty and thereby exposing an employee to a risk of death or serious injury.