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WorkComp is an Independent Workers Compensation Advisory service for Victorian employers.
As a member, you are provided with access to free over the phone advice on all aspects of WorkCover from an Independent Risk Management Consultant who understands the impact that WorkCover can have on your business.
Latest news
19/12/2011
WorkSafe made 10 visits to the Southern Star Observation Wheel at Docklands in the 12months leading up to an incident early this month. A "non-disturbance notice" issued by WorkSafe for the wheel site expired on Tuesday 06th December but the state secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy union, Bill Oliver said "safety concerns around the Docklands wheel remain - after it almost killed workers the week before."
The union is calling for an independent engineering assessment on the wheel before workers return to the job. Just before midnight the Monday prior, slings attached to hold points on the wheel broke loose allowing the wheel to turn uncontrollably and causing workers to flee as large pieces of the assembly structure broke loose and crashed to the ground. "What caused the wheel to rock violently, almost killing the people in the attached cranes?" Mr Oliver asked. "We can't continue until an independent engineering study can tell us what went wrong," he said.
WorkSafe said it visited the wheel site 10 times in the lead up to this incident. "Half of these visits have been for meetings with engineers of the various parties involved," WorkSafe media manager Michael Birt said.
19/12/2011
A Geelong restumping firm was convicted and fined $40,000 over an incident that seriously injured its owner who was trapped under a house which was being re-stumped. Vollebregt House Restumping pleaded guilty to one count of failing to provide a safe workplace. The owner of Vollebregt House Restumping, who was working under a house in Maude street, Geelong when it fell from hydraulic jacks used to lift it, was trapped face down and suffered significant injuries including a broken pelvis.
19/12/2011
A lightening strike could be to blame after a petrol tanker exploded leaving the driver lucky to be alive. Fire crews averted a disaster when the tanker, which was carrying more than 20,000 litres of fuel, burst into flames at the Caltex service station in Rowville during an electrical storm.
Country Fire Authority crews arrived to find fire stretching 150 metres from the service station to nearby Stamford Inn. Two cars were engulfed by flames and another was damaged. The 35 year old truck driver was seriously burned and was in a serious but stable condition at the Alfred Hospital. Up to 100 CFA firefighters tackled the inferno at the intersection of Wellington and Stud roads. Arson squad detectives are investigating.
19/12/2011
A Melbourne glue manufacturer has pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe workplace, after a large tank of chemicals leaked into its factory. The 600 – litre tank released a flow of corrosive chemicals into Bostik’s factory in the Melbourne suburb of Thomastown in 2007.
Worker Craig Cole suffered extensive burns to his body and four other workers inhaled the toxic substance. The Victorian County court heard Bostik faces fines of more than $960,000. The company will be sentenced at a later date.
19/12/2011
An international delivery company which failed to address an improvement notice issued by WorkSafe to help improve safety conditions for its workers has been fined $15,000. FedEx Australia has appeared at the Werribee Magistrates’ Court, pleading guilty to failing to provide a safe workplace and failing to comply with an improvement notice.
WorkSafe inspectors issued an improvement notice at the company’s Derrimut site in July 2009 after they noticed workers were unloading and loading packages from steel cages in an awkward position that exposed them to risk of musculoskeletal injuries, the court was told. The company had four months to comply with the notice, but when WorkSafe returned to the site in December 2009, they found the notice had not been complied with and work was being carried out in the exact same way.
9/12/2011
WorkSafe officers have inspected the CFA's Fiskville training college after a newspaper investigation revealing up to 15 deaths may be linked to the site.
The Worksafe visit comes as the CFA launched its own investigation into the use of dangerous chemicals at the site during the 1970's and 80's.
In other developments: former Environment Protection Authority deputy chairman Rob Joy was announced as chair of CFA investiagtion into the chemicals used at Fiskville; the CFA advised it will cooperate with any WorkSafe investigations; an email account was set up for concerned families to log reports of possible health problems; and CFA commanders promised they will make every effort to get to the bottom of the allegations and reassured current workers and visitors to Fiskville the site is now safe.
9/12/2011
A road worker has died after being struck by a street sweeper in Melbourne's east. The man, in his 40's was carrying out road maintenance at a work site on Canterbury Road at Bayswater North when the street sweeper reversed over him.
A fellow road worker raised the alarm but the man died before paramedics arrived. WorkSafe has seized the street sweeper and are still investigating the incident. The police will prepare a report on the man's death for the coroner.
9/12/2011
A man has died after he was pinned to a wall by a truck in an industrial accident in Melbourne's northwest. It is believed the man, aged in his 40's, reached into the driver's side of the truck and turned on the ignition when it rolled forward, pinning him to a wall.
Emergency workers attended the warehouse on Industrial Drive, Westmeadows and freed the man. He died at the scene. Police and WorkSafe investigators are at the scene and will prepare a report for the coroner.
9/12/2011
WorkSafe inspectors will visit workplaces as part of a six months blitz targeting the way workers operate machinery in a bid to reduce hazardous manual handling injuries. WorkSafe will visit up to 1,000 Victorian manufactures looking at all aspects of their work including: how materials are stored, transported and loaded into machines; machine operators' posture when using machines and how the product is retreived from the machines.
Worksafe figures show that injurioes to machine operators resulted in more than 700 claims for manual handling last financial year. The average claim cost $52,000 in treatment and rehabilatation costs alone. WorkSafe's Manufacturing, Logistics and Agriculture Director, Ross Pilkington said slips, trips, falls and manual handling tasks - which involves handling boxes, bags and parts, production work and lifting - accounted for 53 per cent of all claims.
9/12/2011
WorkSafe has ceased work at the Southern Star Observation Wheel following an incident at the site that caused the wheel to rotate. WorkSafe has begun an investigation into the incident. It is understood slings attached to temporary holding points on the wheel have somehow detatched, allowing the wheel to turn uncontrollably.
The cause of the incident remains unclear, however, WorkSafe visited the site after the incident and have launched an investigation into the matter. A non-disturbance notice has been issued at the site, ceasing work until a safe system of work is in place.