DWS Workplace Health & Safety Update
Given we are in the thick of the busiest time of the year, it’s important not to forget safety! Here are a few areas you should be thinking about and ensuring that your team is kept safe.
Forklift Safety (from Worksafe Qld):
In September 2018, a forklift operator’s lower leg was amputated when the forklift he was driving struck a bollard. Initial investigations suggest he was driving the forklift around a corner of a packing hall onto an exit ramp and his foot may have been outside of the manufacturer’s designated operating position. Investigations are continuing. Forklifts are one of the most hazardous workplace vehicles and are frequently found in warehouses, workshops and factories. People working with or around them often become complacent because they are quiet, in frequent use and part of the environment. However, incidents involving forklifts are usually serious and often fatal.
In December 2016, a company was fined $35,000 after a worker was crushed by a pallet being moved by a forklift. The worker was kneeling down to remove a product from another pallet when he was struck, resulting in broken ribs. The defendant was prosecuted for failing to monitor adequate traffic management procedures for moving plant and pedestrians.
In August 2013, a large truck manufacturing business was fined $35,000 after a forklift reversed into a worker resulting in multiple fractures to his lower left leg. The magistrate also imposed a recognisance of $50,000 for one year.
Download the Forklift Safety Fact Sheet here
Fatigue Management:
There’s no question about it, this is a BUSY time of year. Keep an eye on your rosters and actual staff working hours to make sure there are plenty of breaks factored in and no excessive hours are being worked.
Click here to check out the Fatigue Management Fact Sheet
Heat Stress: The predictions are that we are in for higher than average temperatures this Summer. If you have a heat risk in your workplace, try out this new e-tool from Worksafe Qld to calculate the level of exposure for your workers.
Click here to access the Heat Stress Calculator Test
HR / Fair Work: on the Fair Work front, there have been amendments in the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) to the following Awards around penalty rates for late night / early morning work on Monday to Friday when a meal break is delayed or not provided –
- Restaurant Industry Award 2010
- Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2010
- Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2010
Check out the PACT here
If you have any questions or need assistance in your venue, don’t hesitate to contact Michelle on 0401 014 619 or email michelle@dws.net.au.
