WorkSafe

WorkSafe has initiated the first three prosecutions for two fatalities involving mining companies under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020, which came into effect in March 2022.

In the first two prosecutions, mine contractor MACA Mining Pty Ltd and mine operator Greenmount Resources Pty Ltd have been charged with failing to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers while at work, resulting in the death of a worker.

WorkSafe has commenced prosecution action against the Department of Justice over psychological injury to a former prison officer at Bunbury Regional Prison.

The department has been charged with failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing serious harm to a worker. The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of $3.5 million.

It is alleged that a failure by the department to have procedures in place to deal with inappropriate workplace behaviours caused harm to an employee, a female prison officer.

WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death of a labourer at the road reserve on the Warwick Road offramp of the Mitchell Freeway this afternoon.

The man was reported to have been struck by a piece of equipment that fell.

WorkSafe investigators are currently examining the circumstances of the incident with a view to ensuring compliance and preventing future incidents of a similar nature.

WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North said any work-related death was a tragedy, and relayed her sincere condolences to the man’s family, friends and fellow workers.

A timber processing company has been fined $385,000 (and ordered to pay $5976.70 in costs) after a worker was seriously injured in 2022.

Wesbeam Pty Ltd, a manufacturer and distributor of laminated veneer lumber, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that fixtures, fittings or plant were safe and, by that failure, causing serious harm to the worker. The company was fined in the Perth Magistrates Court last week.

In April 2022, a Wesbeam employee was monitoring conveyors in the control room of the company’s premises in Neerabup when he left that room to attend to a blockage.

A South-West landscaping company has been fined $175,000 (and ordered to pay $6000 in costs) over an incident in which a worker was seriously injured.

SJK Landscaping Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace and, by that failure, causing serious harm to a worker, and was fined in the Bunbury Magistrates Court last week.

In July 2022, two employees of SJK were sent to the Treehouse Child Care Centre in Donnybrook to clean the gutters and perform some other gardening services at the centre.

Alcoa of Australia Limited was today fined $400,000 and ordered to pay costs of $5536.70 after workers received burns from an uncontrolled release of caustic solution at the company’s Kwinana alumina refinery.

The group of people affected by the September 2022 incident included school students on a work experience placement at the site.

Alcoa pleaded guilty in the Rockingham Magistrate’s Court for failing to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA).

Businesses and undertakings must notify the regulator of certain incidents that arise out of the conduct of a business or undertaking at a workplace. The Interpretive guidelines - Incident notification will help you decide when and how to notify a work-related death, injury, illness or dangerous incident (further notification requirements apply to mines and petroleum and geothermal operations – see Parts 2 and 3 of the guideline).

On 24 October 2022, a tanker trailer carrying an ammonium nitrate emulsion (ANE) caught fire then exploded on the Great Central Highway, approximately 150 kilometres east of Laverton. 

The road train consisted of a prime mover, a dolly and two aluminium tanker trailers containing approximately 34 tonnes (rear trailer) and 27 tonnes (front trailer) of ANE. 

This application is for a person seeking to be recognised as a ‘competent person’ to conduct plant design verification under the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022.

If an applicant has acquired through training, qualification or experience the knowledge and skills to inspect the plant and is eligible for professional engineer membership of Engineers Australia this form will not need to be completed.

WorkSafe will consider recognising applicants who do not meet these requirements only in exceptional circumstances.