NSW - $250K fine for deadly electrical "isolation"
A cement company has been convicted and fined $250,000 over the electrocution of a contractor electrician. The company advised the worker that a switchboard was isolated by a single power source, when it actually had multiple sources. The switchboard was not labelled to indicate the multiple sources and no risk assessment was done. More.
QLD – Worker’s death leads to $80,000 fine
A bitumen company has been fined $80,000 after a worker was run over by a 16-tonne multi-tyred roller while doing maintenance work. She later died. More.
QLD - Pet food company fined $40,000 over safety breach; history of OHS issues revealed
An employer has been fined $40,000 after a series of OHS issues involving plant, which culminated in a worker’s arm being fractured. Her clothing became entangled in an unguarded drive shaft. More.
QLD - Boat manufacturer fined $45,000 for broken leg
A Coomera boat manufacturer has been fined $45,000 after a worker fell 2m and broke his leg. The portable stairs on which he was working could have been secured to a mezzanine walkway, but weren’t. More.
SA – Inadequately guarded machine leads to finger amputations; principals fined
The principals of an engineering company have been convicted and fined after an employee’s fingers were amputated. A press was inadequately guarded. More.
SA – $15K fine over trainee’s electrical burn
Failure to use safety systems has led to the conviction and $15,000 fine of an electrical contractor, after a trainee suffered burns from an arc flash. More.
SA – Paralysis and skull fractures leads to $28,000 fine
Snowtown farm operators have been fined $28,000 after a worker suffered skull fractures, loss of sight in one eye and paralysis. The man was hit by a winch handle. The fine was discounted 30% because of a high level of contrition. More.
VIC - $650,000 fine over quarry death
A major quarrying company has been convicted and fined $650,000 over the death of a worker. The worker died when a rock crusher’s 1.3 tonne steel liner fell from its mounts, crushing him. More.
VIC - Fatal confined space work leads to $500,000 fine
An Altona North tank cleaning company has been convicted and fined $500,000 after a worker was overcome by chemical fumes in an empty $25,000 tank and died. More.
VIC - Director and employer convicted and fined over amputated hand
A director and a sawmill have been convicted and fined $15,000 and $55,000 respectively after a worker's hand was amputated while operating an unguarded docking saw. The director was aware of the need for guarding; he had previously removed guarding from a similar machine and had not replaced it. Safety improvements were made after the incident. More.
VIC – $75,000 fine for volunteer’s drowning death
The drowning death of a volunteer has led to a conviction and $75,000 fine for the Victorian State Emergency Service (SES). It has also been ordered to review its operations. The volunteer drowned in the Murray River while taking part in a training exercise. He had previously advised he had very poor swimming skills. More.
VIC - Labour hire company fined $90,000 for OHS failings at host company
A labour hire company has been fined $90,000 for failing to ensure a host employer provided safe work procedures or adequate induction. The host company has previously been fined $45,000. A worker’s fingers were severed by a poorly guarded machine. More.
VIC – Workplace bullying leads to teen suicide; company and perpetrators plead guilty
Physical and emotional bullying at a Melbourne café has led to the death of a teenage waitress, a court has found. Three perpetrators, and one company, have pleaded guilty. The trial will continue on 5 February 2010. More.
VIC – $13K for asbestos warning failure
The Victorian Education Department’s has been fined $10,000 plus costs for its failure to advise a contractor of the presence of asbestos. Parents and others were subsequently exposed to the substance. The Geelong school had previously obtained a report indicating the presence of asbestos, but failed to maintain the register. More.
WA – Crush injury and inadequate lockout leads to $20,000 fine
A company has been fined $20,000 after a worker suffered crush injuries and a partial finger amputation. While working on a machine, it started up, crushing the person’s hand. The supervisor usually switched the machine off for cleaning, but was on sick leave and he was not replaced. The company was deemed to have inadequate lockout procedures. More.
WA - $15K fine for fall through floor opening
Following a 3m fall through an opening in a third storey floor, a construction company has been fined $15,000. Plywood covers were in place but formwork underneath them had been removed. The worker hadn’t been informed. More.
NZ - $390K+ fines for two companies over coolstore explosion
Two companies and one company Director have been ordered to pay more than $390,000 in fines and reparations over a coolstore explosion in April 2008. One firefighter was killed and seven others received serious injuries. The fines relate to a failure to ensure the safety of employees and warn the NZ Fire Service of the presence of a highly flammable refrigerant. More.
NZ - Company fined $115,000 for safety breaches
A construction company has been fined $115,000 for safety breaches, after a barge came adrift with workers aboard. More.
NZ – 30 workplace deaths in last half of 2009 raises concerns
The Department of Labor has called for a report on workplace fatalities after 30 New Zealanders died from workplace accidents between July and November last year. More.
