WHS Case Study – Hot Coolant, Cold Reality: When Inexperience Meets Risk
A recent incident highlights the critical importance of effective supervision, risk assessment, and control measures when engaging young or inexperienced workers in higher-risk environments. At a mechanical workshop, a 15-year-old work experience student was assigned a task involving the draining of a vehicle radiator. Prior to this, the vehicle had been running to assess overheating. The student was instructed to loosen a hose clamp to release pressure from the cooling sys
If It’s in Your Risk Assessment, You Must Implement It
A recent Queensland court decision has reinforced a critical principle in work health and safety: identifying hazards and documenting control measures is not enough. Controls must be implemented, supervised, and enforced in practice. The matter arose from an incident at a worksite in Queensland involving interaction between mobile plant and pedestrian workers, a well-regarded high-risk activity. A pedestrian worker sustained serious injury when struck by operating machinery
Bullying and Harassment costs Director $15,000 in fines
Trigger warning : This article talks about workplace sexual harassment and bullying. If this topic is distressing, feel free to skip the...
Menopause is not a "WHS matter"
17 April, 2025. 5 minute read A company (that shall remain unnamed) recently advocated for including menopausal staff on their workplace...
Construction company fined $270,000 after fatal fall
13 March, 2025. 3 minute read. In February 2025 a family-operated Victorian construction company was convicted and fined $270,000 after a...
Deaths from falls
15 January 2025. 5 minute read. Fatalities caused by falling from heights remains the second highest cause of workplace deaths in...
Worker amputation leads to two businesses prosecuted and fined
A manufacturing facility in Victoria was fined following an incident in which a worker’s finger was amputated while working ...
Is vaping in the office ok?
SafeWork NSW states that environmental e-cigarette vapour, second-hand e-cigarette vapour or passive vaping should be treated ...
Upstream Duty Holders
PCBUs that manufacture and supply plant, equipment, and machinery have their own responsibilities under WHS Law. ....
Three Categories of WHS Offences and a Table of NSW Penalty Units (2024-2025)
The NSW WHS Act 2011 has recently been amended. These amendments have included an increase in the penalty rates for WHS breaches. ....
Man’s hand crushed in machine
On 27 May 2021, a worker of a metal recycling company in South Western Sydney suffered serious hand injuries while attempting to remove...
Truck Driver Killed by Oncoming Truck
20th June 2024. 5 minute read What happened? A large, refrigerated transport business has just been convicted and fined $800,000 in a...
What is Work Health & Safety Risk Management?
Weekly WHS Article 30th May 2024 WHS risk management is the systematic process of identifying hazards, assessing the risks associated...