Occupational Health And Safety Representatives at Work

SafetyNet 385, October 26, 2016

Welcome to the latest SafetyNet - a short edition this week due to the VTHC Conference yesterday. To get updates between our weekly journals, join the hundreds of people who follow our We Are Union: OHS Matters Facebook page. If you're an OHS rep, and passionate about health and safety, then consider joining the Network page, a safe place to raise and discuss issues: check it out and ask to join.

Union News
Research
OHS Regulator News
Prosecutions
Events

Union News

Stop Press (5pm, October 26)
It with great regret that we inform our subscribers that a 54 year old worker was killed today after a fatal crushing incident. The boilermaker is understood to have been operating a boom lift on the ProBuild Melbourne Convention Centre site at South Wharf when the tragedy occurred. He was a Stilcon employee and AMWU member. It appears that emergency services were called just before 3.35pm this afternoon. AMWU and CFMEU officials were on site. The CFMEU has said on its site: "The building industry is dangerous, but workplace fatalities are unacceptable." The fatality triggered the Industry Fatality Policy to be implemented by the CFMEU immediately on all sites:

• Step 1: Provide a report on the incident to workers on-site.
• Step 2: Observe 1 minute silence.
• Step 3: Full OHS audit of your site.

This latest tragedy brings the fatalities in Victoria this year to 24. This is why we fight for health and safety.

VTHC Conference "Nothing about us without us" a huge success
The conference, held yesterday at the MCEC, was a great success with HSRs coming from all over the state, and from many and diverse industries. It gave them the opportunity to hear from other HSRs about what works in their workplaces, to discuss their issues with reps from their own industries, and gave them inspiration and tools to go back to work and improve consultation. It was very much a conference by HSRs for HSRs. While those present heard from Minister Robin Scott, VTHC Secretary Luke Hilakari, and CEO of WorkSafe Clare Amies, the real stars were the HSRs who presented.

• Sean Matthews, 2015 HSR of the Year - told how through perseverance and good planning he was able to achieve huge changes'
• Vasalia Govender, keynote speaker - made a fabulous presentation, based on survey results from hundreds of HSRs, whose experiences of consultation varied hugely. Vasalia's wonderful research set the scene for the consultation theme and the following presentation from Paul Sutton, VTHC OHS Lead Organiser, was really useful for HSRs to take back to their workplaces and continue the conversation.
• Panel members:
  • Krista Barnes, HSR at Sebastapol Primary School, on how consultation is leading to success in dealing with occupational violence
  • Tarek Soueid,  HSR at Woolworth's Distribution Centre, on the novel way they decided to tackle bullying and harassment
  • Lauren Keillor, HSR at Boeing Aerostructures Australia, on how asking the right questions and getting more information has led to increased trust and better controls for hazardous substances
  • Clayton Larking, WorkSafe inspector and HSR, and the inaugural HSR of the Year in 2002, on how increasing the number of HSRs and consultation leads to safer workplaces.

Janet Marshall, the AEU OHS Organiser, summed it up: "It was beautifully organised from registration and show bags through the programme and break-out sessions. The official speakers kept it brief and  authentic (big tick)."  Both for those who attended and those who were unable to attend, we will be loading up the presentations and pdfs of some of the handouts on this site and the We Are OHS site over the next couple of weeks.  

Ask Renata
Hi Renata,
I work in a gallery and have to climb ladders as part of my job. I use a small stepladder, a larger one of 1.8 meters high and another one which is 3 meters high. Do I need a working at heights certificate for use of ladders. Thank-you for your help

There is no such thing as a ladder license or 'certificate'. This is a common misconception. However there are duties on the employer to provide information, instruction, training and supervision to employees, and also to have safe systems of work and policies in place and this certainly applies where staff have to use ladders (see this page on the Duties of Employers).

In addition to this, for work at more than two meters, there are specific duties on the employer to undertake an assessment and put into place a specific hierarchy of control in order to eliminate or minimise the risk of a fall. See a summary of the Prevention of Falls regulations, on this page. If your employer is not aware of the duties under the regulations, then you need to raise this with management. I hope you have an elected health and safety representative, as this would be the best way for the issue to be addressed. Also check out these pages for information on using ladders and falls: Stepladders and Ladders.

Please send any OHS related queries in to Ask Renata - your query will be responded to as quickly as we can – usually within a couple of days.

Back to top

Asbestos News
The Corkman Irish Pub: Illegal demolition; illegal disposal
The bad news regarding the illegal demolition of the heritage-listed former Corkman Irish Pub in Carlton, Melbourne, just kept coming this week. On Saturday October 15, local residents contacted Melbourne City Council to complain about demolition noise from the site, which the previous week had been partially burnt by fire (possibly suspicious). When council inspectors arrived, despite the building having been largely demolished, they issued a stop-work order to prevent further demolition. However, a crew returned on Sunday and finished off the job. There was no demolition permit allowing the pub's destruction, and no planning permit for a building to replace it.

Stefce Kutlesovski, who with Raman Shaqiri, whose company 160 Leicester Pty Ltd paid $4.76 million for the pub last August, also owns the de-registered company Shaq Demolition which tore the 159-year old building down. Then this week, despite being informed by the EPA that the rubble was contaminated with asbestos and warned not to dispose of it illegally, the asbestos waste from the site has been found at the owners' Cairnlea property in the western suburbs.

The owners have totally thumbed their noses at multiple laws and regulators: planning; EPA; WorkSafe and face multiple fines. However, the 'value' of the site has now doubled! Building unions, which have placed a green ban on the site, and the VTHC have said the company should be forced to surrender the land to Melbourne City Council.
Read more: The Age Call for 'hefty fines' after illegal wreckers flatten 159-year-old Carlton pub; Asbestos, waste from demolished Carlton pub found at developer's western suburbs property; Unions issue blanket ban on work at site of illegally demolished Melbourne pub The Guardian

Save the Date: November 24 Asbestoswise Commemoration Service
The annual Commemoration Service held to remember those who have been taken by an asbestos-related disease, and for everyone whose lives have been touched by this terrible substance will take place at the Deakin Edge Theatre, at Federation Square, Melbourne. While the ceremony will begin at 11am, Asbestoswise asks that everyone arrive by 10.45am. Everyone is invited to the CFMEU BBQ on the banks of the Yarra afterwards. Email Asbestoswise for more information

ASEA Conference November 13 - 15
This is your last chance to register to attend Australia's leading conference on asbestos. If you haven't yet registered, you've missed out on the early bird discount, but it's still worthwhile. If you are interested in any aspect of asbestos - research, disease support, legislation, import and more, then register for conference. It will no doubt be a terrific event, and this year is being held in Adelaide. Read more.

More information: Asbestos in the home and Asbestos in the workplace

BE TRADES HALL TRAINED: VTHC OHS Training Centre 
Don't settle for any training other than that provided by your union or the VTHC. HSRs are elected by their fellow workers to represent them. We understand what HSRs need and have been training effective HSRs for many years. Remember that under Section 67 of the OHS Act, both HSRs and deputies have the right to attend the training course of their choice (in consultation with their employer).  Below are the dates for the next few courses at the VTHC OHS Training Centre. The full set of new dates until June 2017, including Comcare courses, is now on the Training program page where you can download a registration form or register online. Contact Lisa Mott on (03) 9663 5460 for any training related queries.

Back to top

Research

Manual handling injuries decrease after implementation of system
American researchers recently undertook an evaluation of a safe patient handling and mobilisation programme within the context of a hospital-wide patient care improvement initiative that used a systems approach and integrated safe patient equipment and practices into patient care plans. They did baseline and 12-month follow-up surveys of 1832 direct patient care workers assessed work practices and self-reported pain while an integrated employee payroll and injury database provided recordable injury rates collected concurrently at 2 hospitals: the study hospital with the programme and a comparison hospital.

Unsurprisingly, they found that safe and unsafe patient handling practice scales at the study hospital improved significantly, with no differences observed at the comparison hospital. They saw significant decreases in recordable neck and shoulder, lifting and exertion and pain and inflammation injury rates at the study hospital. Changes in rates at the comparison hospital were not statistically significant.
Read more: Dennerlein, J, et al, Lifting and exertion injuries decrease after implementation of an integrated hospital-wide safe patient handling and mobilisation programme [Abstract] Occup Environ Med doi:10.1136/oemed-2015-103507

Regulator News

WorkSafe Victoria News
WorkSafe Health and Safety Month - October
Subscribers will be well aware of WorkSafe Health and Safety Month, running from 4 October to 27 October.

Safe Work Australia news
Workplace Participation Reward - closes soon
With October nearly over, Safe Work Australia says it's time to tell them how workplaces are safer by entering the National Safe Work Month Workplace Participation Reward.

The reward encourages employers and workers to think of new and creative ways to build awareness of work health and safety and make workplaces safer. The winner will receive a reward worth $5,000 and the opportunity to showcase their safety story nationally. Read more

Fatality statistics 
As at October 20, there had been 139 fatalities reported to Safe Work Australia - this is seven more  notifications since the last update on October 11.Four of these deaths were in the Transport, postal and warehouse sector; and another three were in construction. The fatalities this year:

• 46 in the Transport, postal and warehouse sector;
• 34 in Agriculture, forestry and fishing;
• 22 in Construction;
• 7 in Electricity, gas, water & waste services;
• 6 in Arts & recreation services;
• 5 in 'Other services';
• 4 in Mining;
• 2 each in Administrative & support services; Accommodation & Food services; Retail trade; Information media & telecommunications; Public administration & safety; and in professional, scientific & technical services; and
• 1 each in Manufacturing, Health care & social assistance; and Wholesale Trade.

The numbers and industries may vary as Safe Work receives more detailed information (to check for updates, go to the Safe Work Australia Work-related fatalities page).

Safe Work Australia has now released the monthly fatality report for May 2016, during which there were 17 work-related notifiable fatalities - one fewer than in April. Of these, 14 were male workers, one was a female worker and two were male bystanders. To download the report, go to the Notifiable Fatalities Monthly Report webpage.

Back to top

Prosecutions

Victorian Prosecutions
Apart from a couple of individuals being prosecuted for fraud, there have been no prosecutions under the OHS Act placed on the WorkSafe website since the last edition. To check for updates go to the Prosecution Result Summaries & Enforceable Undertakings webpage.

Note: In the last edition of SafetyNet we reported on the increased prison sentence of a SA company director's prison sentence for manslaughter. We incorrectly named the source of the story and apologise: the source was the online publication OHSAlert.

Events

ACTU Health and Safety Training

• Certificate IV in WHS Course, seven days face to face (offered in two parts of 3 and 4 consecutive days each).
• Organising for Safer Workplaces (two days)
• Workplace Bullying and Harassment (one day)
• OHS for Union Delegates – choice between a One or Two day course

For information on these and other courses, go to the ACTU website or contact Anna Pupillo or Chris Hughes for more details (ph ACTU: 9664 7334 or 9664 7389).

Thursday October 27 Book Launch: The Conscription Conflict and the Great War
Monash University Publishing and Victorian Trades Hall Council are delighted to invite you to the launch of The Conscription Conflict and the Great War, edited by Robin Archer, Joy Damousi, Murray Goot and Sean Scalmer.  The book is to be launched by the Hon Bill Shorten MP. For more information
WHEN: October 27, 2016 at 6pm - 9pm
WHERE: Victorian Trades Hall Council Meeting room 1, via Victoria St; 54 Victoria St, Carlton, Victoria 3054
RSVP: on the We Are Union website 

Reminder: 100 years since Australia said 'NO' to war
This is a reminder of events around Melbourne marking the 100th anniversary that Australians voted 'no' in the 1916 Conscription referendum.

October 28: Public Meeting; Brunswick Library, 6pm  
Emeritus Professor Michael Hamel-Green (Victoria University) will talk about the success of the 1916-1917 anti-conscription movement and the important roles played by Brunswick and Coburg.  To get more information and to register online click here or call 9389

October 25 - November 6: 1916
Mechanics Institute, 270 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
1916 on the campaign for the 'No Case' for conscription in the First World War, and told through the characters Adela Pankhurst and Vida Goldstein, two suffragettes who embraced the peace movement in opposition to the war and to the plebiscite to get a popular vote for conscription. This vote divided the country. Written by Neil Cole, produced by the Brunswick-Coburg Anti-Conscription Commemoration Campaign, and directed by Natasha Broadstock. 

For bookings call 9387 3376 or book online (go to 'General Program')

October 29 - 30: Latin American and Asia Pacific Grassroots Popular and Indigenous Solidarity Encounter.
RMIT University; Building 56; 115 Queensberry St, CARLTON
Hosted by MASIL, Latin American House-Victoria Inc. & Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET). Indigenous leaders from Australia, the Asia Pacific and Latin America are speaking like Gary Foley, Anthony Birth, West Papuan Leader, Jaime Huenchullan, a Mapuche Indigenous leader coming from Chile, Marisol Salinas Indigenous leader and activist residing in Melbourne, Kevin Bracken former MUA Victoria Branch Secretary, Adrian Soh RMIT University Lecturer and much more.

Registration:
$15(full), $10 (Conc.), $5 Students = One day
$20(full), $15 (Conc.), $10 Students = Two days
Read more on the LASNET website.

Back to top