Companies and officers accused of WHS breaches could bear the onus of proving they took all reasonably practicable steps to prevent an incident occurring, while the offence of industrial manslaughter will be added to the national model WHS Act, with Labor taking power in the Federal election on the weekend.
An inquest into a man's death from a seizure has provided a stark reminder of the potentially devastating long-term consequences of poor workplace processes, including one practice that "should never occur in a controlled work environment".
A company has been fined $375,000 and ordered to publish full-page ads detailing its offence in consecutive editions of key building industry magazines, after one of its contract truck drivers died after falling from his truck bed during unloading.
A PCBU that declined to act on the safety advice of an electrician has been convicted and fined for three serious WHS offences, including failing to consult and coordinate activities with the company tasked with installing and commissioning its imported plant.
The requirement for certain workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 can be likened to a new regulatory requirement or mandatary training qualification for a particular role, a commission has ruled in one of a rapidly growing number of decisions on the issue.
A worker was advised by her doctor that it was potentially unsafe for her to receive an influenza vaccination, but her aged care employer acted fairly and reasonably in dismissing her for not getting the jab, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
John Holland Pty Ltd has been granted permission to enter a $1.2 million enforceable undertaking in lieu of prosecution over a worker's seven-metre fall through a hole on a major infrastructure project, and will develop a freely available virtual reality app for identifying height risks.
A company director who successfully overturned his fatality-related reckless conduct conviction and jailing has, along with his brother and two businesses, been fined over a similar WHS incident to the one that resulted in the death.
