CRIMINALISING INDUSTRIAL MANSLAUGHTER AND WAGE THEFT WHAT WORKPLACE INJURY REALLY COSTS
18 Gauge Liner Cut Level F
This is synergy in fusion. This is the best of both worlds. This is Graphex® Fusion. GFPR 600 Graphex® Fusion
Advanced technology that merges traditional mechanics and synthetic gloves, into a single, harmonious solution. The 18-gauge Cut Level F Graphex® Fusion is built to confidently tackle the toughest jobs. Rugged Protection. Resilient. Versatile. Secure.
Scan to request a sample
Working from heights remains one of the most dangerous types of work in Australia when it comes to workers being killed or seriously injured. In this issue of Safety Solutions, legal expert Patrick Walsh highlights the steps that organisations must take to ensure they achieve safety compliance. One of the key issues he identifies is the fact that many of the height-related accidents reported to safety regulators had “no excuse” listed as to why the accident had occurred. Turn to page eight to find out more about the important role workplace culture has to play in preventing safety incidents at height.
According to Safe Work Australia, there were 497,300 Australians who experienced a workrelated injury or illness from 2021 to 2022. While first aid requirements may vary based on the industry, workplace size and location, it’s essential for employers to have at least a basic first aid kit readily available. On page 13 of this issue, we have some top tips that organisations can use to ensure that their employees are empowered to respond effectively during emergencies. Other stories covered in the August issue of Safety Solutions include a look at shortening the work week to improve workplace culture in the construction industry, a new metric that can now measure the national burden imposed by workplace illness and injury in Australia, and a legal analysis of the recent criminalisation of industrial manslaughter and wage theft.
Happy reading!
QLD ASBESTOS MANUFACTURER FINED
$1.21 MILLION
A Queensland jury has ordered Amaca Pty Ltd (formerly known as James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd) to pay a total of $1.21 million and a sum of $800,000 for general damages and loss of life expectancy to Mr Kim Martin, a 77-year-old suffering from mesothelioma resulting from exposure to asbestos products manufactured by James Hardie & Co.
Martin was diagnosed with asbestosrelated pleural disease in 2013 and with deadly mesothelioma in 2021. Martin’s case reportedly marks the first pain and suffering award for a mesothelioma victim in Queensland.
Martin handled James Hardie products and attended their factories in Western Australia and Queensland regularly between 1967 and 1975. He also cut and installed James Hardie products during private renovations in Western Australia in 1978 and 1979. More than 50 years later, he can still recall working with James Hardie products in factories and warehouses, often with his bare hands.
“I didn’t see any warning labels about asbestos or dust released from the asbestos cement sheets I carried and worked with. There were no signs at the James Hardie factories about the dangers of what we were handling,” Martin said.
Sean Sweeney, Slater and Gordon Legal Counsel in Dust Diseases, said the news is a huge win for all Australians who have been exposed to the deadly fibres which continue to impact workers and home renovators decades later. “This is a watershed moment for victims of mesothelioma, marking the first occasion that a Queensland Court has assessed damages for a plaintiff suffering from asbestos-related disease,” Sweeney said.
Slater and Gordon represented Martin, among others, in the battle for compensation for asbestos victims against James Hardie. Sweeney said this is an important step towards holding asbestos manufacturers accountable for their actions.
MEETING EXAMINES ILO CONVENTIONS FOR A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT
The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) has held a public hearing for its inquiries into two International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions: No. 187: Promoting Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention and No. 191: Safe and Healthy Working Environment (Consequential Amendments) Convention.
These conventions effectively elevate ‘a safe and healthy working environment’ to a fundamental principle and right at work in the ILO Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in 2022.
Committee Chair Josh Wilson MP said Convention No. 187 aims to advance the rights of workers to a safe and healthy working environment and to require national policies to prevent workplace injuries, diseases and death. “Convention No. 191 amends several other ILO conventions to ensure that they appropriately reflect the right to a safe and healthy working environment,” Wilson said.
The Committee heard from witnesses from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The program for this hearing is available on the Committee website, along with further information about the inquiry.
ENGINEERED STONE BAN NOW IN EFFECT ACROSS AUSTRALIA
The manufacture, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs is now prohibited in every state and territory in Australia. The ban on engineered stone does not apply to the controlled processing of previously installed engineered stone benchtops, panels or slabs for the purposes of removal, repair or minor modification, or the controlled processing of installed or uninstalled engineered stone benchtops, panels or slabs for the purposes of disposal.
The ban recognises that working with engineered stone poses an unacceptable health risk to workers; it will help ensure that workers, their families and the broader Australian community are not exposed to the respirable crystalline silica that is generated when engineered stone is processed with power tools.
Each jurisdiction has implemented the engineered stone ban in their respective work health and safety laws, based on amendments to the model WHS Regulations published by Safe Work Australia. A summary of how the ban will be implemented in each state and territory is available on Safe Work Australia’s engineered stone ban website.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY ALERT ISSUED FOR OLD-STYLE METER BOXES
NT WorkSafe has issued a safety alert urging electrical workers and residents to exercise caution when accessing meter boxes fitted with older-style meters. This comes after Power & Water Corporation service personnel found a number of heat-damaged service fuse holders in meter boxes in Territory homes. The damaged service fuse holders have live parts exposed, creating an electrical safety risk to anyone accessing the meter box. Damage to the service fuse holders could have occurred due to a number of factors including age, exposure to the elements or incorrect installation.
With the exception of the electrical meter, which is owned by Power and Water, the meter box and other items inside including the meter board, switches, fuses and circuit breakers belong to the homeowner. The homeowner must maintain these in compliance with Power and Water’s meter manual and the Australian Standards.
This includes inspecting the meter box to determine if a service fuse carrier and base is mounted on the meter panel and checking that it is in good condition. If the service fuse carrier and base are damaged, homeowners are advised to have an electrical contractor replace the fuse in entirety with a lockable circuit breaker.
A circuit breaker as a meter isolator is required for a safe and convenient isolation point for Power and Water Metering Section staff to service and maintain their metering installation; it is also necessary for electrical contractors to safely work on the customers’ switchboard. A circuit breaker as a meter isolator is also helpful for Power and Water officers or agents to perform disconnections as requested by the electricity retailer.
The circuit breaker also provides graded electrical overcurrent protection for the customer’s installation. The circuit breaker is required to isolate the metering for a customer’s installation.
NEW COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT TOOL ROLLS OUT
SafeWork SA is embedding cautions into its suite of compliance and enforcement tools to help reduce injuries and fatalities.
Inspectors will use these cautions to provide a formal reminder to individuals, businesses and organisations to improve safety, as well as supporting more severe penalties if they repeatedly breach safety laws.
Cautions add to the regulator’s compliance and enforcement tools which compel a duty holder to remedy any identified contravention, and in some cases sanction them.
Where a SafeWork SA inspector identifies a breach that warrants an expiable offence they will consider issuing a notice which includes a fine.
Alternatively, they may issue a cautionary expiation notice, which doesn’t include a monetary fine.
“Expiation notices are an important compliance and enforcement tool and send an instant message to individuals, businesses and organisations that they must make improvements,” said Glenn Farrell, Executive Director at SafeWork SA.
“They provide SafeWork SA with options to enforce laws efficiently and cost-effectively.”
The level of risk associated with a hazard and the safety history of the business, organisation or individual will determine the severity of any penalty.
Expiation notices can attract fines of up to $3600 for a business or organisation and $720 for an individual. They are designed to streamline the process of dealing with minor offences to reduce the burden on the courts.
Safety breaches where a prosecution is warranted will continue to be dealt with by the courts.
SafeWork SA introduced cautionary expiations in late 2023 and is now embedding them into its suite of compliance and enforcement tools to reduce injuries and fatalities in support of the national Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023–2033.
iStock.com/Andrey Znamenskyi
iStock.com/Thank you for your assistant
MINING COMPANY FINED AFTER WORKER’S ARM CAUGHT IN CONVEYOR
Mining company Big Bell Gold Operations Pty Ltd has been fined $400,000 plus costs of $5743.30 after a worker’s arm was trapped in a conveyor at the company’s Bluebird gold processing plant located 24 kilometres north-west of Cue. A subsidiary of Westgold Resources Ltd, Big Bell Gold pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe working environment under the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994.
The incident occurred on 21 February 2020; two workers had been contracted to remove built-up material with tools from under a conveyor while it was still running. Although the conveyor belt was protected, a person could reach under the guarding and access dangerous moving parts as the guarding stopped around 800 millimetres above the ground.
One of the workers became entangled in the return roller and belt while clearing built-up material from underneath the operational conveyor with a shovel. A co-worker pulled an emergency lanyard to stop the conveyor and used a crowbar to lift the belt, allowing the contractor to remove his arm; he received lacerations on his left arm. WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North said the worker was fortunate not to lose a limb, and urged companies to implement and enforce suitable isolation procedures for plant and machinery.
“In this instance, the worker had completed a one-hour online safety induction, but it did not cover conveyor safety or isolations. This was the supervisor of the job’s first day overseeing the plant and he had not received any specific training to perform that role. Companies must ensure all workers have the required training and [are] assessed as competent on the tasks assigned to them,” North said.
After the incident, Big Bell Gold extended the conveyor guarding and reinforced safety training protocols. WorkSafe’s code of practice outlines the hazards associated with machinery, including unguarded conveyors.
ATA CALLS FOR MINISTERS TO SETTLE TRUCK LAW REFORMS
The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has called for Australia’s transport ministers to forge ahead with reforms to national truck laws. Ministers agreed to the reforms in September 2022.
The reforms would increase the trucking industry’s productivity and simplify the complex fatigue rules applying to truck drivers. Mark Parry, Chair of the Australian Trucking Association, said the ministers must agree to press on with the reforms to what is known as the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
“The reforms were put together by former NSW Roads and Maritime Services CEO Ken Kanofski. He consulted widely with governments and industry representatives and reached a compromise that had broad support. The ATA and our members had put forward our own, more ambitious, proposal. We agreed to the Kanofski reforms to save the reform process and get results,” Parry said.
According to Parry, the reforms would increase the productivity of the trucking industry, thereby increasing wages without inflation and continuing the path towards lower emissions intensity. Parry added that the reforms could increase the productivity of trucks with heavy cargoes by up to 5% — the trucks could be a metre longer and 30 cm higher, so operators would not need as many special permits.
“The truck driver fatigue rules are a maze of random requirements that drivers must meet perfectly. The reforms would simplify their work diaries, make enforcement fairer and reduce penalties to reasonable levels. Ministers agreed to all these reforms. They said so in writing. But now we understand that their departments can’t agree on the details. Some states are even denying that their ministers reached an agreement at all, despite their joint public statement to the contrary,” Parry said.
Parry urged the transport ministers to stick to their original plan and agree to press on with their plans. He also called for the ministers to agree on a structured process for continuing the law reform process in manageable chunks, as well as a process for agreeing to minor or technical changes.
“The industry was prepared to compromise to get a result; we expect ministers and their departments to do the same. The industry’s productivity, safety, sustainability and ability to attract staff depends on ministers getting this right,” Parry said.
WORKING FROM HEIGHTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT:
A LEGAL ANALYSIS
Falls from heights are one of the most common causes of death or serious injury in the workplace. Although there are a range of technical requirements for compliance with legislative obligations depending on the industry, nature of the work and jurisdiction that are beyond the scope of this article to list out, there are a number of measures that all organisations can take to ensure compliance with safe work requirements, writes PATRICK WALSH, Partner at Mills Oakley.
Working from heights is any work performed where there is a risk that a person will fall from one level to another. In all jurisdictions (except South Australia which defines “high risk construction work” as, amongst other things, work that involves a risk of a fall from more than three metres) the applicable regulations identify work that involves a risk of a fall from more than two metres as one of the forms of high-risk construction work as construction. In Victoria, the regulations proscribe requirements for any type of work that involves a risk of a fall from more than two metres.
In 2023, the New South Wales Government announced a statewide blitz that has involved construction site inspections, focused on reducing the number of construction workers killed or injured in falls at work. WorkSafe Victoria notes that there have been 16 fatalities and 1983 injury claims arising out of falls from heights in the construction industry between November 2019 and December 2023.
So what should organisations be doing to ensure compliance?
Look to workplace culture
It may come as a surprise that the first point identified in this article is culture. However, something that really stands out in the NSW SafeWork Work at Height Construction Blitz reports for 2019 and 2020 is that one of the most common responses from principal contractors or site supervisors as to why they were non-compliant for key checklist questions is that “they had no excuse”. Indeed, the 2019 version of the report notes that 29 out of 76 reasons cited for non-compliance with void and edge protections was that “there was no excuse”.
Performing work in the various forms of the construction industry gives rise to a range of challenges in managing risks to health and safety. These include managing different (and changing sites), extensive use of contractors and consistent scheduling pressure. In a decision considering the
nature of an officer’s obligations pursuant to section 27 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW), his Honour Russell SC DCJ noted “Miller was a medium-sized operation. It had eight depots spread throughout the state. It used a large number of transport drivers operating over a wide area. Unlike a one or two person business (such as the one Judge Scotting considered in Hetherington), a managing director in the position of Mr Doble cannot know everything that is going on at any given moment. To run a corporation there must be a level of delegation. ” 1 In order for delegation to be effective, however, the culture of the organisation needs to ensure that the person charged with the responsibility will be as diligent in carrying out the work as the person who is accountable for it under the relevant work health and safety legislation.
One of the key ways in which an organisation can strive to ensure that any work performed from heights is performed safely and the relevant workers adhere to the necessary control measures is to routinely assess the competence of workers performing any work at heights greater than two metres. In SafeWork NSW v Empire Contracting Pty Ltd [2022] NSWDC 437 a worker was completing timber batten removal work when he unhooked his harness while next to the ladder and tossed a rope to another worker before removing his lanyard, and fell between timber beams after stepping onto friable asbestos roof sheeting. The worker later died from his injuries. In the resulting prosecution the defendant accepted that the worker “ was not formally qualified, not experience in working at heights and that the supervision that was in place failed, as Mr Thay should not have been there ”.
Where possible, remain grounded
Before commencing work that carries the risk of a fall, an organisation must identify whether any (or all) of the work can be performed on the ground; thus, either eliminating the risk altogether or reducing a worker’s exposure to the risk.
Understand and implement the hierarchy of controls
In the event that performing work at heights cannot be avoided, an organisation’s compliance measures must apply the hierarchy of controls. In this regard, the model work health and safety regulations are prescriptive as to the order of measures that need to be implemented:
1. Use of a solid construction, which means a surface that is capable of supporting all persons and things placed on it, that has barriers around its perimeter and any openings, an even and readily negotiable surface and gradient, and a safety means of entry and exit;
2. Use of a fall prevention device, such as a fence, edge protections, working platform, and/or covers;
3. Use of a work positioning system, such as a harness; or
4. Use of a fall arrest system, such as a rope grab system.
Don’t forgo the administrative controls
Administrative controls can often be forgotten when organisations are overly confident that they have managed the risk with engineering controls, but it’s critical that these controls are properly implemented for two key reasons:
1. Reasonable administrative controls should be included as part of a range of control measures to prevent overreliance on any one control measure; and
2. Regulations governing the constructions industry impose various requirements around the creation, communication and implementation of safe work method statements for any high-risk construction work.
In Farell v Syntec Diamond Tools International Pty Ltd [2023] SAET 113, Deputy President Magistrate Eaton noted that:
“What is clear from the evidence is that Syntec appreciated the risk posed to its workers by the CDW and modified the machine to improve its safety on several occasions in response to further identified risks. There is no suggestion that it ignored or disregarded the requirement for effective guarding on the machine or directed its workers to operate the machine in an unsafe manner. Its failure lies with its confidence that the engineering solution was adequate in the absence of more formal and implemented safe operating procedures and staff safety training and supervision.”
It is incumbent on any organisation that performs this type of work to familiarise themselves with the regulations applicable to the jurisdiction in which the work is being performed. At the very least, in addition
to any reasonable engineering controls, any organisation (particularly in the construction industry) needs to ensure that a safe work method statement is prepared and provided to any person involved with the work that:
1. Identifies the work that is worked from heights and/or “high risk constructions work”;
2. Specifies the hazards relating to the worker and the resulting risks to health and safety;
3. Gives a description of the control measures to be implemented; and
4. Describes how the control measures are to be implemented, monitored and reviewed.
Be mindful that obligations exist “beyond site”
Businesses that provide services to the construction industry play an important part in meeting safety obligations onsite.
In Farrell v Combe Pearson Reynolds Pty Ltd, Jack Adock Consulting Pty Ltd [2024] SAET 30 two engineering business retained to design and then audit the design of a roof structure were prosecuted after the roof structure collapsed, causing minor injuries to two apprentices working on the structure affixing roof sheeting. The fault, which led to the collapse, was that the bolts stipulated in the design to hold down the base plates of the columns for the spectator terrace were inadequate. This fault was not identified during the independent compliance certifications process provided by the second defendant. It was the case with both defendants that there was a failure in respect of the internal review process.
Conclusion
Working from heights remains one of the most dangerous types of work in Australia in terms of workers killed or seriously injured. In order to ensure adherence to legislative safety requirements, organisations should be mindful that they:
• routinely review the competence of any workers engaged by the organisation, or through a contractor, to perform work at heights;
• have robust systems of work in place that adhere to the hierarchy of controls and include administrative controls where appropriate; and
• can establish compliance with the regulations in place in the jurisdictions in which they operate.
1. SafeWork NSW v Miller Logistics Pty Ltd; SafeWork NSW v Mitchell Doble
Patrick Walsh is a Partner at Mills Oakley.
Rack Armour is the simple superior solution to pallet racking damage caused by forklifts.
Rack Armour is a patented product, locally manufactured and internationally recognised.
600mm RACK ARMOUR PALLET RACKING PROTECTION, also available in 400mm
The Bool FR PPE3 Hi-Vis Parka is designed to provide enhanced performance and protection in a range of demanding environments. Rated to PPE Category 3 with a protection level of 26.0 cal/cm², this garment facilitates safety for high-incident energy exposure tasks. Its fire-resistant lining, crafted from a blend of polyester, polyurethane, modacrylic and cotton, provides comfort and safety.
Its innovative design includes segmented FR heat-applied reflective tape in a double hoop configuration for enhanced visibility, while biomotion sleeve tape ensures the wearer’s limbs are easily seen during movement. This combination helps wearers stay visible and safe in a range of conditions. The parka also features anti-static fabric that meets EN1149-5:2018 standards, thereby dissipating electrostatic charges to reduce conductivity risks.
Bool’s commitment to safety is backed by the BSI Group, which conducts independent and regular third-party audits to determine if every product provides protection and performance.
TRu Brands Pty Ltd www.trubrands.com.au
Strip light range
MineGlow’s 48 V LED strip Ultra range is designed to illuminate underground mines, featuring Twinflex technology to facilitate installation over longer distances with maximum run lengths of 120–400 m between power sources. Twinflex also offers fast heat dissipation for hassle-free operation.
Equipped with C-Mask technology, the LED strip lights are engineered to repel dust and dirt build-up while preventing the LED strip from yellowing over time.
Encased in a silicone moulding (20 x 12 mm), the LED strip light is designed to withstand the conditions of harsh environments. With SMD2835 LED chips, the LED strip lights are available in 200, 500, 810 or 1080 lm/m at 6500K, for optimal brightness and visibility. Operating at 48 VDC, they also offer energy-efficient performance.
The strip lights have an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance and an ambient working temperature of -40 to +60°C. With a lifespan of 50,000 h and backed by a 5-year warranty, these LED strip lights are a long-term investment for underground safety.
Mineglow www.mineglow.com.au
Access control door for fixed ladders
The CEC100 access control door is designed to prevent unauthorised personnel from climbing on fixed ladders leading to dangerous and sensitive areas (such as the roofs of buildings, machines, rolling cranes, pylons, silos, tanks and lighting poles).
The device is compliant with the technical requirements of the ISO 14122-4 standard about access means to machinery, as well as the AS 1657:2018 standard about fixed ladders.
The anti-climb door has a self-closing and self-locking mechanism after the user begins climbing, to assist with keeping the area secure. Users can unlock it by pushing a lock-release pedal when descending in order to exit securely (for ladders used as emergency exits or linked with other means of access such as stairs, second ladder and walkways).
Made of galvanised steel, the device can fit any type of new or existing ladder. Coutier Industrie www.porte-coutier.com
TOP TIPS FOR MANAGING FIRST AID IN THE WORKPLACE
When employees undergo first aid training, not only does it empower them to respond effectively during emergencies, but it also creates a safer work environment.
The best leaders send their workers home safe, and by preparing for a first aid emergency, organisations can give their team the required skills and knowledge. St John WA has the following tips for managing first aid in the workplace.
Create a first aid checklist
Here are a few starting points to consider in the workplace:
• Does your workplace have a fully stocked first aid kit?
• Are employees aware of the first aid kit location?
• Are the items in the first aid kit within their expiry dates?
• Have you or your staff received recent first aid training?
• Does your workplace have a defibrillator?
If there are any gaps in a workplace’s basic first aid requirements, the good news is that there are simple steps to get back on track.
Install defibrillators
A defibrillator or automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable device that is designed to treat a cardiac arrest. Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces a person’s chances of survival by up
to 10%. An AED analyses a person’s heartbeat and detects cardiac arrest. If necessary, it can deliver a lifesaving shock to reset the heart and restore its normal rhythm.
Invest in first aid kits for the workplace
According to Safe Work Australia, there were 497,300 Australians who experienced a work-related injury or illness from 2021 to 2022. While first aid requirements may vary based on the industry, workplace size and location, it’s essential for employers to have at least a basic first aid kit readily available.
Consider first aid for mental health
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, two in five Australians aged 16 to 85 experience a mental disorder at some time in their life. This includes conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression and substance use disorders. The pandemic had a significant impact on the economy and the workforce, leading to job losses, financial strain and increased work-related stress.
Prioritising mental health is essential in the workplace, and by addressing mental health concerns, workplaces can promote employee wellbeing and productivity. For those in a leadership position, it is particularly important to understand how to offer support and recognise the early signs of mental distress within the team.
Using technology solutions to boost safety and efficiency in mines
The mining and mineral processing industries face complex challenges and hazards that put workers, equipment, operations — and the environment — at risk. The integration of technology solutions (such as sensors and analytics software) and the effective planning and design of machinery, structures and processes can not only assist in risk mitigation, but also drive improved operational performance.
A local mine was experiencing faults on critical machinery within its processing plant, resulting in operational delays and unplanned downtime. To address this issue, the mine needed to determine the root cause of the failures and come up with an effective repair plan that could also be monitored for potential problems and proactively addressed if necessary to ensure worker safety.
improves safety and operations, and minimises downtime by reducing equipment failure,” said John Vazey, Engineering Manager at EngAnalysis.
This approach also aligns with findings from McKinsey’s 2022 report, ‘Navigating a Decade of Challenges: Five Winning Initiatives for Mining CEOs’, which emphasises the implementation of technology like sensors and machine learning in mines for enhanced efficiency, productivity and sustainability.
The mine worked with the EngAnalysis team to create a monitoring system for the machine. The system utilised specialised analysis software which recorded structural stresses and identified operational cycles, and immediately analysed these for potential issues (for example, overloading or uneven loading) which could lead to failure.
EngAnalysis also developed metrics on machine performance, fatigue and deterioration, to enable the engineers to track data trends and determine when intervention would be necessary during the operation.
“The early identification of potential safety hazards or design flaws through real-time monitoring and computational analysis of a prototype can allow issues to be addressed before manufacturing. This
Equipped with the relevant data, a review of a new machine design was completed. The newly designed equipment was validated by instrumenting it with strain gauges and measurement tools and monitoring its performance for a period of time. The data gathered was then used to conduct a fatigue assessment and predict the equipment’s operational lifespan.
“The strain measurements in our processes enabled us to characterise the process behaviours that led to failures and unwanted downtime. With this insight, operators are now able to halt operations and adjust the load on the equipment, preventing structural failures and potentially lengthy periods of downtime,” Vazey said.
Through monitoring, data collection, analysis and design verifications and validations, EngAnalysis has provided the mining company with the confidence that the new equipment design will have an adequate fatigue life.
CRIMINALISING WORKPLACE
MANSLAUGHTER AND WAGE THEFT
Ben Duggan, Director, and Nicholas De Pasquale, Associate, at DW Fox Tucker Lawyers
In separate moves that further criminalise conduct in the workplace, the state government has introduced industrial manslaughter as a criminal offence into South Australian safety law while the federal government has made wage theft a criminal offence under the Fair Work laws.
Work health and safety (industrial manslaughter) amendment
Locally, the Malinauskas state government’s introduction of industrial manslaughter is the most significant change to South Australia’s Work Health and Safety laws since its inception in 2010.
In introducing the Bill that contained the proposed industrial manslaughter amendment to parliament, the Minister for Industrial Relations, Kyam Maher, made clear the intent of the state government:
“While tragic workplace incidents do occur from time to time, our industrial manslaughter laws recognise it is not an accident when people deliberately cut corners and place workers’ lives at risk.
“It is a crime and it will be treated like one.”
The amendment to South Australia’s work health and safety laws introduces more severe penalties for persons controlling a business or undertaking (PCBU) or an officer of the PCBU who commits the new offence of industrial manslaughter.
A PCBU, or officer of a PCBU, commits the new offence where their breach of a safety duty that causes death arises from conduct that is either “gross negligence” or “reckless”.
“Gross negligence” is defined under the amendment as conduct that involves:
• such a great failing short of the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise in the circumstances; and
• such a high risk of causing death or serious injury or illness of an individual, that the conduct merits criminal punishment for the offence.
The term “reckless” is defined by reference to a PCBU’s1 conduct, which involves their knowledge of the risk to an individual of death or serious injury being ‘substantial’ and ‘unjustifiable’ in the circumstances.
A new penalty regime under which PCBUs will face fines of up to $18 million, whilst individuals face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, applies to the new offence of industrial manslaughter.
South Australia, introducing industrial manslaughter, joins a growing list of states and territories that have moved to criminalise industrial manslaughter, which now includes Western Australia, the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Victoria.
At this stage, the expected start date for the industrial manslaughter amendment to South Australia’s Work Health and Safety laws is 1 July 2024.
Fair Work Closing the Loopholes amendment
At the national level, the Albanese government has successfully passed aspects of
the Closing the Loopholes amendments to the Fair Work laws with the support of the Greens and crossbench.
One key change was the introduction of wage theft as a criminal offence.
Wage theft has been on the national agenda for some time.
Pre-COVID, pressure mounted to introduce wage theft when the punishment for celebrity chef George Calombaris’s business empire for underpaying nearly $8 million was revealed by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO).
The punishment, contained in an enforceable undertaking reached between Calombaris’s business empire and the FWO, included a fine of $200,000 and Calombaris’s agreement to do speaking engagements. In the context of the systematic underpayment of workers, this punishment was considered “light”.
In response, the then-Morrison government sought to introduce wage theft into the Fair Work laws. However, despite general support for the move, this proposed amendment did not pass parliament.
Some states, though not South Australia, did introduce wage theft as a criminal offence.
The new federal wage theft provision will make it an offence for an employer to engage in deliberate conduct that results in an employee not being paid their correct entitlements under the safety net as contained in the National Employment Standards or a workplace instrument such as a Modern Award.
A new penalty regime under which employers face significantly increased penalties and directors prison sentences shall apply for contraventions of the new wage theft provisions.
At this stage, the expected start date for the wage theft amendment to the Federal Fair Work Act is 1 January 2025.
Employers should consider a review of their arrangements with their workforce to ensure that they are workplace compliant, including that they comply with the National Employment Standards and applicable Modern Awards (or Enterprise Agreements) in response to this development.
For employers who are unsure as to whether they are workplace compliant, advice should be sought as soon as practicable.
1. Or an officer of a PCBU.
This article was republished with the permission of DW Fox Tucker Lawyers.
Emergency stop housings
The range of ES series housings from Pizzato now includes a new version with raised illuminated guard and integrated buzzer.
The housing with illuminated guard and buzzer combines the standard black base used for the whole range with a cover featuring illuminated upper guard and buzzer for acoustic signalling.
These features make it easy to identify. The natural use for this housing is with an emergency stop button. However, the housing can also be used with other devices, such as selector switches. The upper guard protects the button from dust and avoids accidental activation, whilst enabling the emergency stop button to be easily reset.
The illuminated cover makes the housing easy to identify on the machine, while the integrated buzzer can be configured to warn the operator when the emergency stop button has been pressed. The cover is available in yellow or white.
Further benefits on the function of the housing can be configured by the user with the internal terminal strip, enabling set-up of colours of RGB LEDs, steady or blinking mode for LED signalling and continuous or intermittent modes for acoustic signalling.
Leuze electronic Pty Ltd www.leuze.com.au
CIP Safety module
Mobile drum pump with battery drive
The B3 Battery from Lutz Pumpen increases safety and flexibility when working with aggressive liquids.
The battery-operated drum pump is quieter than a vacuum cleaner and is equipped with a brushless DC motor with an output of 320 W. The electric motor provides a delivery rate of up to 180 Lpm and a delivery head of 11.8 mWC.
The absence of a cable — which can quickly constitute a tripping hazard or cause a short circuit — makes the battery-operated drum pump significantly safer and more flexible.
The B3 Battery is simple to operate. The user secures the tubular pump tube in the container via an adapter with a screw cap. Switching on the drum pump activates a high-performance propeller, which generates a flow channel with up to 10,000 rpm. The liquid flows through the pump tube into a hose and can be dosed manually via a nozzle. An optional flow meter improves precision. With a noise level of just 70 dB(A), lower than that of a vacuum cleaner, the B3 Battery helps to prevent fatigue among workers exposed to the sound.
Process Pumps Australia Pty Ltd www.processpumps.com.au
Mitsubishi Electric Automation has designed the MELSEC iQ-R Series CIP Safety Module to provide safety signal transmission to a diverse range of devices and equipment, including third-party robots, Mitsubishi Electric and third-party-VFD products, and safety I/O and interlocks.
Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) safety is a protocol developed by the Open DeviceNet Vendor Association (ODVA) and is widely used in industrial automation systems. CIP Safety defines a set of rules and mechanisms for exchanging safety-related information between devices in a network to enable reliable communication of critically safe data within an industrial system.
The module occupies a dual slot on an iQ-R PLC rack and is compatible with both EtherNet/IP and CIP Safety protocols to provide versatility and integration capabilities in different industrial settings. It complies with international safety standards EN ISO 13849-1, Category 4 PL e and IEC 61508 SIL 3 and has been tested with various third-party robots, PLC peer-to-peer communication, gate switches, area scanners, VFDs and remote I/O. The iQ-R CIP Safety module is most widely used in packaging and the automotive industries but can be applied in systems requiring safe communication. Mitsubishi Electric Australia www.mitsubishielectric.com.au
Body camera for first responders
The Motorola V500 body camera enables first responders to stream live video and location to the control room, upload footage from the field and receive radio updates and maintenance without returning to the station.
It can support whatever network carrier is in place, enabling the user to watch events in real time and leverage information to make the best possible decisions.
The V500 can be triggered to start recording immediately — without manual intervention — when equipment is unholstered or when another V500 starts recording.
With an MIL-STD-810H certification and IP67 rating the body camera can operate in the rain, wind or snow. It has 128 GB storage capacity and can be customised to use as many or as few buttons as required.
Motorola Solutions www.motorolasolutions.com.au
Heated workwear
Milwaukee Tool has expanded its M12 Heated Gear line with the introduction of new colours in the M12 Heated Hoodie range.
Milwaukee Heated Gear products utilise carbon fibre heating elements to generate and trap heat across core body areas, while adjustable heat technology allows users to adapt to changing conditions by simply increasing or decreasing the heat level with the touch of a button.
The garments are designed to provide users with the freedom of movement they need to stay productive on and off the job site. The hoodies are available in a variety of colours, including grey and fluoro for men and black for women.
The M12T Heated Gear jackets and vests are available in either TOUGHSHELL stretch polyester or AXIS RIPSTOP polyester — both built to last and provide wind and water resistance. FreeFlex Mobility Gussets also enhance user mobility. In addition, all garments are washer and dryer safe for easy care.
M12 Heated Gear features a one-touch LED controller for easy operation, three heat settings and up to three heat zones (back, chest and pockets) for customised comfort. They also provide up to eight hours of runtime on a single charge with an M12T REDLITHIUM-ION 3.0 Ah battery pack, ensuring the wearer stays warm throughout the workday. The heated gear also features a battery pass-through pocket design for versatile front or back battery placement, increasing comfort and flexibility.
Milwaukee Tool Australia www.milwaukeetool.com.au
Grease and oil remover
The CLR Grease & Oil Remover is designed to clean oil and grease spills. For occupations where working with oil and grease is an everyday occurrence, cleaning up spills is a priority to keep workers safe.
This versatile formula is designed to cut through oil, grease, tar and built-up grime. Making driveways, factory machinery and equipment, and garage floors look almost like new, the grease and oil remover is also suitable for commercial kitchen use.
Non-flammable and non-acidic, the grease and oil remover’s formula contains no abrasives or petroleum solvents. It is suitable for use outdoors too as it is readily biodegradable and will not harm grass, shrubs or surrounding vegetation. Getting started with CLR Grease & Oil Remover is easy — users can simply apply the solution directly onto the surface with a sponge or brush, then let the solution rest for five minutes before coming back to scrub away stains. Stubborn stains may require another visit with CLR Grease & Oil Remover.
CLR clrclean.com.au
THE ART OF SAFETY
The National Gallery of Australia has showcased exemplary art since its inception, including a strong collection of experimental and abstract sculptures. The acquisition of the Body Sculpture by Jordan Wolfson, however, is the first work that the Gallery has exhibited with complex industrial robotics at a large scale. Pilz Australia was commissioned to ensure the animatronic display complied with relevant work health and safety standards in Australia.
Jordan Wolfson's latest animatronic installation, Body Sculpture (2023), is an awe-inspiring and thought-provoking work of art that seamlessly blends the realms of art and complex robotics. Currently on display at The National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, this captivating creation is the first solo presentation of Wolfson’s work in Australia. The anthropomorphising of the industrial robot in Body Sculpture is described by the artist as "tension between personification and reification, between object and person."
Installing and displaying a work of art as technically complex as Body Sculpture required the National Gallery to take a different approach. This included being meticulous in adhering to all relevant work health and safety standards in Australia.
Jan Wojna, Head of Enterprise Project Management, National Art Gallery of Australia, stated that the acquisition of Body Sculpture was a big learning experience for them. “We didn’t know a lot about robots, our risk appetite for Work Health and Safety matters has always been very low, and the work was being built on the other side of the world, so just popping your head in to see progress was not straightforward. We had to look for a safety partner to bring the supplementary expertise we needed.”
Seamless blend of Art and Complex Robotics
Body Sculpture is a metal cube with two animatronic arms, complete with large hands. A chain snakes out of the top of the cube and connects it to a robotic arm attached to a scaffold. The robotic arm moves the cube back and forth across a 13-metre-wide stage over the course of 25 minutes, while the cube performs a series of thought-provoking human gestures. The stage is an open area surrounded by the audience during performance sessions.
The National Gallery of Australia commissioned Pilz to implement a regulated, demanding risk assessment and validation process. Pilz conducted a thorough design review, risk assessment, and validation service, taking over the entire conformity procedure. A comprehensive list of hazards with corresponding safety measures was seamlessly implemented while allowing the art to speak for itself. This gave the Gallery the assurance and confidence they needed to say, “We’ve assessed ourselves against the national safety standards of Australia” when planning to showcase this experiential art.
Customer Statement
“As a Cultural and Art Institution it’s fair to say we’re not experts in robotics, and so we need to approach different providers who might bring that expertise. The proposal we received from Pilz gave us the confidence that they knew what they were doing. Pilz were able to pinpoint granular concerns for us. Ultimately, this gave us the confidence to report to the National Gallery’s Executive team and other key stakeholders that we had undertaken a thorough and comprehensive assessment of our risks and are confident in our procedures.
The working experience with Pilz was very positive. The team was very flexible and supportive. They went the extra mile to uplift our safety knowledge and guided us from the start of Body Sculpture’s installation until we opened to the public.”
Jordan Wolfson, Body Sculpture, 2023, National Gallery of Australia, purchased 2019.
WHAT REALLY COSTS WORKPLACE INJURY AND ILLNESS
Anew Monash University metric has now been able to measure the national burden imposed by workplace injury and illness.
Published in the Medical Journal of Australia , the study aimed to quantify the national burden of working time lost to compensable occupational injury and disease and how working time lost is distributed across age, sex, injury and disease.
The ‘Working Years Lost’ metric found that Australia loses 41,194 work years annually due to work-related injury, disease and mental health conditions. This equals more than 41,000 lost jobs.
Professor Alex Collie from Monash University’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said it was the first time such figures had been collated.
“Normally we track injury and disease at work by counting the number of people making compensation claims or the amount of time they spend off work,” he said.
“This new measure combines those two concepts and presents it as something more meaningful, which can be summarised as the number of people off work for a full year.”
Collie said the working years lost (WYL) measure provided a different view of the ‘challenge’ of workplace injury.
“The impact of some types of injury and disease are more accurately represented in this new metric,” he said.
“For instance, mental health conditions have a much higher percentage of working years lost than of workers compensation claims. This is because we take the long time off work for each mental health claim into account, whereas simply counting claims does not do this.”
The national study covered people with accepted workers compensation claims and receiving wage replacement benefits for time off work, lodged between July 2012 and June 2017.
Male workers incurred 25,367 (61.6%) WYL while female workers accounted for 15,827 (38.4%). A total of 21,763 WYL (52.8%) were from workers aged over 45 years, despite these workers accounting for 66,742 (44.1%) accepted claims.
Traumatic injury resulted in 16,494 (40%) WYL per annum, followed by musculoskeletal disorders (8547 WYL, 20.7%) and mental health conditions (5361 WYL, 13%).
“Annually, compensable occupational injury and disease in Australia results in a substantial burden of lost working time, equivalent to over 41,000 lost jobs,” Collie said.
“The distribution of burden reflects the higher labour force participation of males, slower rehabilitation in older workers and the relative impact of common occupational injuries and diseases. Effective occupational health surveillance, policy development and resource allocation will benefit from population-based monitoring of working time loss.”
Emergency lighting
The MineGlow em-Control is an industrial-grade LED strip emergency lighting control system designed for underground safety. This system uses directional pulses of light to guide workers to rescue chambers and exits, facilitating quick and efficient evacuations. It also provides visual alerts for vehicle proximity, manages traffic flow and indicates exclusion zones to enhance overall safety.
The em-View software with open architecture allows for integration to any thirdparty systems via APIs. It also enables light direction, speed, colour and duration, with modes including pulsing, static, forward and backward to be customised and controlled via the software.
The em-Controller installed with each LED strip includes a 3-button manual override in the event of a network outage. The system offers a dual power option for redundancy and the em-Control RGB strip lighting is available in lengths from 20 to 200 m and each em-Controller can manage up to 500 m of LED strip lighting, optimising installation and operational costs.
The em-Control system has an IP67 rating; is dust- and water-resistant and shock- and impact-resistant; and the LED strip lighting has a lifespan of 50,000 hours and a 5-year warranty.
Despite the recent ban on engineered stone, exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust remains a risk to workers.
Research from The Lung Foundation showed an estimated 600,000 Australian workers1 are exposed to silica dust across a wide range of industries including quarrying, construction, tunnelling, mining and many manufacturing processes.
To help combat this problem, the AIR XS Silica Monitor was developed by Trolex. The technology helps to protect workers against lung diseases such as silicosis by providing real-time readings of levels of crystalline silica in the air.
Trolex recently commissioned an occupational hygiene and laboratory testing organisation to conduct independent testing of the AIR XS. The results showed that the Air XS repeatedly provided consistent, accurate, real-time data throughout an eight-hour testing period.
This suggests that the AIR XS can improve worker safety by providing instant information to businesses and workers exposed to RCS, instead of having to wait up to four weeks to discover their level of exposure — such as with the current approach of gravimetric sampling. This process requires collection, processing and laboratory analysis of the sample, which is both time-consuming and costly for businesses. On the other hand, direct-reading instruments offer businesses the ability to monitor employee safety on sites in real time, eliminating the delays typically associated with potential RCS exposure. The AIR XS is now being used by companies in Australia to monitor RCS levels in many industrial locations.
While the federal government recently implemented a ban on engineered stone (commencing 1 July 2024), which is the process most synonymous with creating silica dust, Group CEO of UK-based Trolex Glyn Pierce-Jones said this ban alone would not solve the current health crisis caused by RCS.
“Silica dust is found in most building materials, so while banning engineered stone is a positive step, it’s not a holistic solution. The real issue facing the industry is the current archaic methods of testing for silica dust and the delay it causes in creating the safest possible workplace,” he said.
Pierce-Jones emphasised the urgent need for enhanced safety measures for anyone who may be in contact with silica.
“The current testing methodology for RCS only allows users to take an average reading over an eight-hour period and typically takes up to four weeks to produce a result,” he said.
“Our AIR XS Monitor was designed to provide an accurate reading with immediate results, letting workers know when their health is in danger and allowing employers to respond in the most efficient manner.
“These latest test results are another indicator of what we already knew at Trolex — that the AIR XS could be part of a desperately needed solution to an urgent health crisis.”
Aleks Todorovic, Managing Director of Active Environmental Solutions (AES), the Australian distributor of the product, said: “In the two years we’ve been supplying the AIR XS, we’ve seen how simple it is to set up and how effective it can be in providing real-time data to our customers. This allows them to respond instantly to dangerous levels of RCS and to provide the best controls and safety procedures to protect their workers.”
1. Lung Foundation Australia, Silica dust exposure: What is it and what can you do about it?
The Trolex AIR XS.
Inductive safety sensors
Pilz PSENini inductive safety switches detect the approach of metallic objects without contact and supply the necessary safe signals for position and end limits. PSENini can also be used to generate pulses for counting tasks or for detecting rotational movements without the need for uniquely coded actuators. It is space-saving, reacts to metals and is easily integrated into the machine.
Multiple versions provide flexibility for application integration: the cube-shaped proximity switch with a plastic housing detects objects within a 15 mm operating distance, and with protection class IP68/IP69, the three cylindrical models with stainless steel housings allow for operating distances of 2–10 mm and are also appropriate for more hygiene-critical applications. The operating temperature range of the sensors is -25 to +70°C.
Inductive safety sensors are used in a broad range of industries, such as in packaging plants, food and beverage, and toolmaking sectors. The standardised OSSD safety outputs on the inductive safety switches make integration simple and enable a direct connection to the appropriate safety controller, such as PNOZmulti, myPNOZ or PSS4000.
The sensors have no blind range, so no minimum distance is required between sensor and object, and they can be used in safety applications up to PL d, Cat. 2 (EN ISO 13849-1) or SIL 2 (IEC 62061). Redundant use enables up to PL e, Cat. 3/SIL 3.
Pilz Australia Industrial Automation LP www.pilz.com.au
Diagnostics tester and test adapter for AC charging stations
Gossen Metrawatt’s PROFITEST H+E EXPERT CHECK is a diagnostic tester corresponding to measurement category CAT III 300 V for standard-compliant functional testing of AC charging stations in accordance with DIN EN/IEC 61851-1 (VDE 0122-1). The handheld tester enables electricians to test the functionality, electrical safety and personal protection of single- and three-phase AC charging points in charging mode 3 on a type 2 socket or a permanently connected type 2 cable.
The device provides standard-compliant testing of PE interruptions with a graphical display of measured values. Its functional range includes the verification of vehicle states A, B, C and D; phase tests and phase sequence tests; diode testing; and evaluation of the PWM signal for data communication. It aborts the charging process during short-circuit simulation and determines battery charging levels.
In combination with installation testers from the PROFITEST MF or PROFITEST MASTER IQ series, the device can also be used as a test adapter for electrical testing of charging infrastructure thanks to its measuring inputs and earthing contact socket. In addition to the charging function tests, relevant safety tests can also be carried out in this combination, including low-impedance continuity of the conductors, insulation resistance, tripping of the residual current circuit breaker (RCD/FI), 6 mA sensors, and loop and internal mains resistance. Measured values and test results are shown in plain text on the device display.
Gossen Metrawatt www.gossenmetrawatt.de/en
E-Stop actuators
LAPP Australia’s range of Wieland Electric E-Stop actuators can be used on a wide range of industrial and process engineering machinery. They feature a special flat design to stop operators hanging items over the top and inhibiting the button’s operation.
The primary purpose of these types of emergency stop buttons is to switch off or stop machines and systems, to avoid or reduce emerging or existing hazards to persons nearby or to other machinery and working material.
A green stripe around the outside clearly indicates whether the button has been pushed in or if it is in the regular position. To release a simple twisting motion is all that is required. A key-release version of the E-Stop is also available as part of the range.
The rugged design of the E-Stop range makes it readily applicable to machinery, including those operating in harsh industrial environments.
The E-Stop buttons also have a built-in failure protection mechanism that automatically detects when a contact block is removed from the actuating element, at which point it switches off safely.
LAPP Australia Pty Ltd lappaustralia.com.au
Virtual safety assistant
The TALK5 virtual safety, health coach and assistant, ‘Mina’, now delivers voice-to-text and text-to-voice tools in over 15 languages.
Mina, powered by ChatGPT4, aims to make safety universally comprehensible and accessible, irrespective of language or culture. The product can deliver essential safety instructions in each worker’s preferred language, thereby eradicating potential misunderstandings caused by language differences.
It also analyses documents and graphs uploaded by organisations, reading and understanding complex content and providing intelligent suggestions to create an effective safety induction process. This helps to ensure that users are on the same page when it comes to workplace safety.
Mina helps businesses to build and create safety, compliance and legislative content, along with surveys and checklists that are translated into different languages via voice and audio features. It also allows organisations to check in on the health and welfare of workers at any time, as well as train and coach workforces on the most critical safety information and processes.
Mina allows the user to find the most accurate information easily through voice, and can also help workers to get administrative jobs done by asking the virtual assistant for clarification to complete the tasks quickly.
Talk 5 www.talk5.app
Automated guided vehicle system
The Dematic Multishuttle Meat Buffer system operates in both frozen and chilled environments and allows for the transfer of product cartons between aisles without the use of a traditional conveyor system. This increases flexibility and reduces the risk of worker injuries.
The automated order fulfilment and dispatch processing system has pallet automated storage and retrieval, featuring freezer-rated, high-reach automated guided vehicles (AGVs). It is managed and controlled by Dematic software, eliminating many potential occupational health and safety hazards associated with the manual handling of heavy cartons and errors associated with incorrect picking.
Dematic software provides full track-and-trace capabilities for every carton of every SKU. The solution can pick multiple SKUs concurrently within a single aisle, while providing high throughput, order flexibility and accessibility to stock.
The self-charging AGVs feature high-precision laser guidance and the latest safety technology, including a 360° safety scanning system with automatic slowing and stopping, easily accessible emergency-stop buttons, and visual and audible warning and alarm lights. They help to improve operational efficiency and accuracy, and can operate 24/7 year-round.
Dematic Pty Ltd www.dematic.com.au
Safety solutions
Available from ParagonCare Group, Duress safety solutions are designed for staff who need support from a real-time secure location system.
The Duress portfolio features the Falcon, Phoenix, Eagle and Duress App. All include 24/7 customer support, A1-graded emergency monitoring, live audio/video, check-ins, team alerts as well as a dedicated dashboard to manage everything end to end.
The solutions accommodate the intricacies of the healthcare sector, including onboarding, registration, security and accessibility. Many institutions have critical issues that need to work with any software solution, including SSO and staff churn — Duress is designed to be setand-forget, allowing the health sector to keep their staff and patients safe, without tying up their IT departments.
Duress creates a safety bubble around their location, giving real-time data on alerts and emergencies, as well as real-time automated check-ins. These allow staff to get real-time help, either through the organisation’s existing security centre or Duress Operations Centre. Employers can choose to expand the bubble for certain staff to keep them safe while commuting, working remotely or visiting patients.
The Duress Operations Centre is running 24/7, with redundant power and communications, and is backed by a second centre located elsewhere in Australia. For institutions with internal security, Duress plugs into the existing security service. Paragoncare Ltd www.paragoncare.com.au
WORKPLACE HEALTH & SAFETY SHOW
This October marks the 15th National Safe Work Month, prompting Australian employers and workers to commit to creating healthy, safe and productive workplaces. This year, the topics in focus during Safe Work Month are psychosocial hazards, risk management and musculoskeletal injuries.
According to Safe Work Australia, 1.9 million weeks of work are lost to injury, costing companies $5 billion in lost productivity, compensation and related costs. This is why, more than ever, companies need to prioritise the safety of their workers.
During Safe Work Month, the Sydney Workplace Health & Safety Show will open on 23–24 October at The Dome (Sydney Showground). Over 160 exhibiting brands and 75 subject matter experts will deliver the latest safety legislation, innovative solutions and best practices.
“Now, more than ever, the topics of workplace health, safety and wellbeing are at the forefront of business leaders’ thinking,” said Stephen Blackie, Portfolio Director for Workplace Health & Safety Show.
“We are delighted to align the Workplace Health & Safety Show with campaigns like National Safe Work Month as we build events to bring the professional safety community together to drive best practices. Following on from the success of the Melbourne Show, we have worked tirelessly to evolve the event to help further shape the future and navigate the challenges of modern business. We anticipate that the upcoming Sydney Show will be the biggest and best
SYDNEY
NOW OPEN
to date, attracting senior decision-makers from a wide spectrum of Australian firms.”
Explore the latest insights at show
The education program at the show offers the Knowledge Hub, with succinct seminar sessions covering the latest on safety in action, including safety tech, injury prevention and worker wellbeing. It also includes the Spotlight Stage, with shorter exhibitor- and sponsor-led information sessions, covering new product releases and safety resources.
This year, the program also features three dedicated summits: the Workplace Wellbeing Summit, Construction Health and Safety Summit and the Safety Leadership and Culture Summit.
“Based on the success of these summits at the Melbourne event, we’re excited to bring them and their essential safety insights and world-class speakers to the Sydney market,” Blackie said.
Notably, the education program will focus on important OHS updates for 2024, including new laws (eg, the Manslaughter Bill and the ban on engineered stone), and what these changes mean for those on the ground. The line-up includes sessions exploring the latest best practices in the management of psychosocial risks, and tips for implementing these.
“We’ve secured some of the country’s most respected and sought-after industry
leaders and subject matter experts in safety and wellbeing to present over the two days of the show. These sessions are free to attend, with registration, so there’s no reason not to come along,” Blackie said.
The show has also partnered with various industry associations, including SafeWork NSW, the Working At Heights Association (WAHA) and the Scaffolding Association of Australia. “These associations will be participating as exhibitors or presenters, sharing their insights and pertinent industry resources with show attendees,” Blackie said.
“Featuring an exhibition that’s attracting some of the country’s leading brands, alongside seminars and panel discussions, Workplace Health & Safety Show is the #1 event for champions of safety at work and a premier destination for decision-makers committed to creating safe, healthy and productive workplaces,” Blackie said.
CASE STUDY
Could the robotic revolution end FIFO work?
The mining sector is currently undergoing a dramatic transformation through automation and virtual reality solutions.
According to a geologist and immersive technology expert, the capacity for the mining sector to conduct more work remotely has reduced many of the safety risks posed to workers — and it could also mean the end of a fly-in-fly-out workforce within the next few decades.
Professor Tom Raimondo, Dean of Programs for Information Technology and Mathematics at the University of South Australia, is leading the development of VR and AR platforms to enhance core logging with machine learning, create fully digital reconstructions of mining operations and even simulate the drilling process.
This innovative work has been facilitated through the MinEx CRC, the world’s largest mineral exploration collaboration. It includes projects such as the RoXplorer digital twin, an ultra-realistic simulation of the drill site of the future, and the Exploration Metaverse, a collection of immersive AR and VR platforms to collaboratively view and analyse complex mining data with colleagues and experts from across the world in real time.
“Globally, it is becoming more difficult and more expensive to discover new mineral deposits because they are deeper than they have ever been,” Raimondo said.
“It is also more difficult to extract and process minerals. VR and AR platforms give us a better way to visualise and interpret highly complex data and spatial information and make good decisions about where we should be targeting our exploration efforts.”
The RoXplorer digital twin, which replicates a drill site and its operations, enables industry workers to virtually run repeated drilling
simulations safely and efficiently, with zero environmental impact.
“In terms of training workers, it also removes the hazards. Mining is inherently a dangerous activity, so the more we can transition to autonomous systems, the better off the mining industry will be.”
Raimondo’s Project LIVE team in collaboration with UniSA’s Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE) is also exploring the potential of digital twins for other industries that involve hazardous processes, including forestry, construction and fire management services.
According to Raimondo, these technologies will enable Zero Entry Mining, where all operations are done remotely and the miners of the future will interact with digital twins and autonomous robots rather than rock cuts and blast sites.
“This technology is improving all the time. If you think back to even 10 years ago, we almost exclusively relied on desktop computers or even pen and paper to interpret data. It was often clunky, slow and done out of context. Now we’re integrating VR headsets, mobile phones and wearable technology like AR goggles to do this analysis much more rapidly and doing it in situ, with data informing our decisions every step of the way.
“Instead of being constrained to a small desktop display, keyboard and mouse, we now have the full 360 degrees of our surrounding environment to interpret things more accurately and intuitively, freeing up our hands, giving us space to think and engaging our brain in a different way. It’s a very exciting future.
SHORTENING WORK WEEK TO IMPROVE CONSTRUCTION CULTURE
Anew report has explored construction industry culture, highlighting the problems of excessive work hours and the benefits in addressing them.
The Construction Industry Culture Taskforce (CICT), led by the governments of NSW and Victoria along with the Australian Constructors Association, has released the ‘Culture in Construction Pilot Projects: Interim Report’, led by RMIT University.
The report found that a 50-hour work week spanning five days has strong support within the construction industry.
Many within the industry typically work six days per week, with Saturday shifts often the norm. However, the interim results of pilot projects run under a new draft Culture Standard, aimed at improving the infrastructure construction industry, show that a five-day week would not adversely affect site productivity.
Achieving cultural change
The report studied the integrated strategies used by pilot projects to improve time for life and flexibility, diversity and inclusion, and wellbeing to determine how they contribute to positive cultural shifts in the industry.
“Cultural change in the industry is one of the key ways to address the acute skills shortage that has led to escalating labour costs and stagnant productivity in an industry which has so many other reasons to be a place to have a great career,” said Gabrielle Trainor, Chair of the CICT and Interim Chief Commissioner of Infrastructure Australia.
“The Culture Standard, designed to be part of the procurement process, means a level playing field for contractors and government clients to buy in, project by project, and create better, safer and more equitable work environments and support construction to become an industry of choice.”
What were the key findings of the report?
One key finding was the strong support for a five-day work week, with 84% of salaried respondents and 61% of waged respondents preferring this schedule. This preference contrasts with the current industry norm of longer working hours, where 64% of workers exceed 50 hours per week and Saturday work is routine.
“The lack of work and life balance faced by many construction workers can cause significant stress, relationship issues and reduced productivity. It is a leading reason people exit the industry,” Trainor said.
“However, the five-day work schedule preferred by the workers in the study allowed them to spend more time with their kids, play sport, see friends or relax, and a twoday weekend also ensured they were better rested and recovered from the work week.
WORKPLACE CULTURE
“Monday to Friday is clearly shown in this study to be the ideal. But the standard provides for the reality that not every project can work five days. These findings also demonstrate the positive benefits of a deliberate and accountable focus on ensuring no-one works excessive hours and flexibility is built in, and where measures on diversity and wellbeing are also in place to support the other key aspects of culture change women and young men are looking for,” she said.
Minimal impact on productivity
Despite initial concerns about productivity and pay impacts, feedback from pilot project participants indicates minimal adverse effects.
“On our Mulgoa Road Upgrade Project Stage 1, our team reported that productivity was not adversely affected by implementing the Culture Standard’s five-day work week,” said Greg Anderson, Seymour Whyte Alliance Manager in New South Wales.
“With Saturdays typically seeing lower productivity across the industry, the loss of Saturday as a workday in the move to a Monday to Friday schedule was more than offset by the fact that we had a better rested, healthier and more satisfied workforce, which led to productivity improvements across the five-day week.
“We also saw positive impacts in terms of recruitment, with other workers in the industry seeking to join our project due to the five-day work week.”
Before the implementation of the draft Culture Standard at the pilot projects, some workers on wages, mostly young men, were concerned about the effect on their pay.
However, once the Culture Standard was operating, many of these same workers said that the effects on their pay had been minimal and, even though they may have experienced a small reduction in their earnings, the benefits of spending more time with their family and friends outweighed the cost.
Australian Constructors Association CEO Jon Davies said while recognising the need to limit the hours worked, the pilots are also considering how to maintain the flexibility of projects to work the hours needed to meet operational requirements.
“The Culture Standard acknowledges the interconnectedness of working hours, wellbeing and gender diversity.
“Addressing working hours in isolation from wellbeing and gender diversity won’t yield the desired cultural transformation and outcomes,” he said.
“These results are very encouraging, and we are looking forward to finalising the pilot studies later this year to inform the case for broader adoption of the standard in procurement,” Trainor said.
iStock.com/Drazen_
CASE STUDY
Robot dog can ‘sniff’ hazardous gases in inaccessible environments
To keep humans out of harm’s way, researchers have created a fourlegged, dog-like robot that takes air samples from hazardous sites.
Researcher Bin Hu and colleagues are developing mobile detection systems for hazardous gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by building remote-controlled sampling devices like aerial drones and tiny remotely operated ships.
The quadruped dog-like robot they have created has an articulated testing arm mounted on its back. It is able to collect air samples from potentially dangerous sites, such as an abandoned building or fire zone. The robot then walks these samples back to a person, who screens them for potentially hazardous compounds.
While the researchers have said that the system needs further refinement, demonstrations show its potential value in dangerous conditions. For instance, testing the air for dangerous chemicals in risky workplaces or after an accident — such as a fire — is an important but very dangerous task for scientists and technicians.
The independently controlled arm is loaded with three needle trap devices (NTDs) that can collect air samples at any point during the robot’s terrestrial mission.
The researchers test-drove their fourlegged ‘lab’ through a variety of inaccessible
This quadruped robotic air sampler can navigate through fire and other potentially dangerous situations to test for hazardous volatile organic compounds.
environments, including a garbage disposal plant, sewer system, gasoline fire ground and chemical warehouse, to sample the air for hazardous VOCs.
While the robot had trouble navigating effectively in rainy and snowy weather, it collected air samples and returned them to the portable mass spectrometer (MS) for onsite analysis in less time than it would take to transfer the samples to an off-site laboratory — and without putting a technician in a dangerous environment.
The researchers say the robot-MS system represents a “smart” and safer approach for detecting potentially harmful compounds.
The study was published in the American Chemical Society’s publication Analytical Chemistry.
Westwick-Farrow Media
A.B.N. 22 152 305 336
www.wfmedia.com.au
Head Office: Unit 5, 6–8 Byfield Street, (Locked Bag 2226) North Ryde BC NSW 1670, AUSTRALIA
Ph: +61 2 9168 2500
Editor: Amy Steed ss@wfmedia.com.au
Assistant Editor: Ashna Mehta
Acting Publishing Director/MD: Janice Williams
(Shy &) Retiring Proofreader:Deborah Bailey
Art Director/Production Manager: Linda Klobusiak
Art/Production: Marija Tutkovska
Circulation: Alex Dalland circulation@wfmedia.com.au
Copy Control: Mitchie Mullins copy@wfmedia.com.au
Commercial Brand Manager: Candice Stannard
Ph: +61 2 9168 2500 cstannard@wfmedia.com.au
If you have any queries regarding our privacy policy please email privacy@wfmedia.com.au
ISSN 1447-8277 PP 100007391
Printed and bound by Bluestar
All material published in this magazine is published in good faith and every care is taken to accurately relay information provided to us. Readers are advised by the publishers to ensure that all necessary safety devices and precautions are installed and safe working procedures adopted before the use of any equipment found or purchased through the information we provide. Further, all performance criteria was provided by the representative company concerned and any dispute should be referred to them. Information indicating that products are made in Australia or New Zealand is supplied by the source company. Westwick-Farrow Pty Ltd does not quantify the amount of local content or the accuracy of the statement made by the source.
