Sydney construction company fined $240,000 by SafeWork following explosion

The blast took place on a residential construction site in Eastwood, NSW, when a worker attempted to remove three underground petrol storage tanks using an excavator. The explosion heavily damaged nearby structures and even broke the windows of several buildings across the road.
SafeWork NSW charged the construction company, with a breach of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 for failing to ensure the health and safety of workers and others.
SafeWork’s investigation found that the company hired an unqualified contractor to remove the tanks.
Executive Director of SafeWork NSW, Peter Dunphy said although no one was injured in the explosion, the incident could have been catastrophic.
“Storage tanks that previously contained flammable liquids or gases must be handled with extreme care as there can be vapors which, even after many years, may ignite when exposed to heat,” Mr Dunphy said.
“Businesses and workers should take extreme care working near or on items that contain chemical residue, especially solvents.
“It is extremely fortunate that the contractor and people in nearby buildings were not killed or injured in the explosion.”
Mr Dunphy added that the company also failed to provide notice of their planned demolition work.
“The company failed to notify SafeWork NSW about demolition work as well as the schedule 11 hazardous chemicals in the abandoned petrol storage tanks at the site,” he said.
“The company took no steps to address the risks and chose to rely on the contractor’s claimed experience, with near-disastrous consequences.”
Failure to manage contractors can result in costly incidents. So, as well as putting worker and public safety at risk, businesses can be left exposed to substantial financial penalties, criminal and civil prosecution and loss of reputation.
Don’t risk noncompliance. ISOsafe’s services will protect your business. We will prepare safe systems of work, safety instructions and all other documentation you require. Call us now 1300 789 132 to learn more about our services for businesses.

Company fined $450,000 after young worker dies in forklift rollover

A farming company has been prosecuted and fined $450,000, on one charge of breaching the OH&S Act (2004). The incident which took place on 15 November 2014, resulted in the death of a 15-year-old boy, after the forklift he was operating rolled and crushed him.
The farming company would typically engage a labour hire contractor to supply workers for general farming activities, however, on this occasion the owner of the labour hire company brought his 15-year-old son and his son’s two friends, aged 16 and 17.
The court heard that the young workers were not provided with any safety instructions in relation to the site or the work. 
The forklift was used by both the farm owner and labour hire owner to move full bins of picked snow peas onto a transport truck. Each held appropriate forklift licences.
The court also heard that there had been no prior hazard identification or risk assessment for operation of the forklift.
An eyewitness testimony confirmed the labour hire owner's son was operating the forklift in an unsafe manner, moments before the forklift tipped on him.
WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety, Marnie Williams, said "the absence of safe systems of work, safety instructions and supervision contributed to the tragic incident".
“Three teenagers, two of which had no prior farm work experience, were left to work on a commercial farm totally unsupervised. As a result, one died and two were witness to a tragic workplace incident,” Ms Williams said.
“The forklift was accessible to anyone, and leaving the keys in the ignition was an invitation to disaster. The lack of instruction and training meant there was little to no understanding of the risks involved with driving a forklift.
“Because of their lack of experience, young people are particularly vulnerable at work. They must always be supervised and safety should never been left to chance.”
Failure to manage health and safety can result in serious incidents. So, as well as putting staff wellbeing at risk, businesses can be left exposed to substantial financial penalties, criminal and civil prosecution and loss of reputation.
Don’t risk noncompliance. ISOsafe’s services will protect your business. We will prepare safe systems of work, safety instructions and all other documentation you require. Call us now 1300 789 132 to learn more about our services for businesses and their owners

The training and compliance paradigm

Well-trained staff and qualified professionals are essential in making sure the business is safe. Companies that provide health and safety information and training, not only meet their legal responsibilities, but also ensure staff know how to work safely and without risks to themselves or others.

Effective training will contribute towards making your employees competent in health and safety and it can help businesses avoid the distress and costs that accidents and ill-health can cause.

Training can be on the job, online or in a classroom setting. In-company training can be useful as the course can be designed to fit the organisations exact needs.

ISOsafe’s fully tailored training solutions will consider your organisations health and safety documentation, general operational policies and procedures, site specific needs, and include organisational branding.

Our training solutions are pragmatic, focusing on environments and situations that the learners are familiar with, thereby making the training more engaging. An example of this is our sought-after Risk Assessment in Practice training. By using the organisations scenarios for hazard identification and risk assessment, it makes the learning readily applicable to learners.

Many clients have found our training to be particularly effective in ensuring company processes are adhered to, resulting in operational efficiencies and greater customer satisfaction.

To learn more about our training solutions, contact us today.

Setting up a health & safety procedure in a new business

Health and safety is a necessity for all new businesses, but it doesn't have to be a complicated process. Working out a simple and efficient approach that complies with legislation and consistently ensures the safety of employees can make managing your business easier. Good practice in health and safety can positively influence your business by:
•   reducing staff absences and sick leave
•   maintaining a positive reputation
•   reducing the costs associated with accidents
•   improving staff motivation levels
•   boosting productivity and profits

Get equipped
Looking after your employees is a high priority when it comes to setting up a new business, and there are a number of facilities you can provide and procedures you must consider to ensure their safety. This includes:
•   toilet facilities
•   good ventilation
•   suitable lighting
•   somewhere to rest and eat meals
•   a suitably stocked first-aid box
•   a reasonable work temperature
•   appropriate waste containers

Manage the risks
The first stage in managing your business's potential risks is to identify what can harm people by taking a walk around the workplace and looking for any hazards. Common activities that could cause harm in the workplace include working at a height, and working with chemicals, machinery, gas, electricity and asbestos. For each hazard, you should think about:
•   the risk of somebody being harmed
•   who can be harmed
•   how serious the harm will be
You can also ask your employees if they have noticed any potential risks, as they may have noticed hazards that aren't obvious to you. In addition, involving employees in the process shows you're serious about their safety, and allows them to raise concerns and influence decisions directly.
Once you've highlighted potential hazards, consider what should be done to reduce or eradicate the risk, and put the appropriate measures in place.

Write a health and safety policy
A health and safety policy is the best way to let your staff and others know that you are committed to providing a safe workplace. Writing a policy doesn't have to be time consuming, but should clearly outline:
•   what you want to achieve
•   what you are going to do
•   who is responsible for specific actions
A written policy is a legal requirement for companies that employ any number of people.

Provide training
Once you've written your health and safety policy it is important you relay the information to your team, so everyone working for you knows what they are expected to do. Training should be provided on the risks they face, what measures are in place to deal with hazards and how to follow emergency procedures. You should also record when training has been carried out to keep track of when refresher sessions might be needed.
It is also necessary to display the workers compensation law poster in an easy-to-read position, so details of the policy are always available. 

Keep up to date
It is important that you keep a record of any accidents that take place in the workplace, so you can keep your health and safety procedures up to date. Recording injuries, incidents and cases of work-related illnesses will allow you to identify patterns and introduce effective measures to remove or reduce any future risk. In addition, your insurance company might want to see your records if an employee makes a claim for compensation.

Appoint someone to help
If you're not confident in your ability to manage all aspects of this side of the business, don't worry, you can appoint one or more people to help you meet your firm's requirements. This person must have the ability to work under pressure and make tough decisions, as well as have the knowledge and expertise to do the job effectively, and can be an employee or an external consultant. 
Health and safety may not be the first thing on your agenda as a start-up, but it's something that needs to be considered early on. It will make your business easier to manage, and help you avoid paying out compensation for accidents and penalties.
ISOsafe are health and safety specialists with decades of experience. Get in touch with one of our team members to learn about our services for businesses and their owners.

Benefits of working with an ISO expert

There are nearly twenty thousand standards covering everything from manufactured products and technology to food safety, agriculture and healthcare.

Use of the standards aids in the creation of products and services that are safe, reliable and of good quality. The standards help businesses increase productivity while minimizing errors and waste. By enabling products from different markets to be directly compared, they facilitate companies in entering new markets and assist in the development of global trade on a fair basis. The standards also serve to safeguard consumers and the end-users of products and services, ensuring that certified products conform to the minimum standards set internationally.

On paper, it can look an onerous task to be able to meet these standards. In practice, it can mean many hours finding, creating and pulling everything together. For many, the time is well spent with accreditation or certification awarded. But, there can also be disappointment. Just when you thought you had jumped the final hurdle, you find there are many more to come.

How can an ISO consultancy company such as ISOsafe help?

There are many advantages to investing time and money with an ISO expert:

•   Important for your business – receiving an ISO certification can have a huge positive impact on your business. It can open many new doors and present your company with a wealth of exciting opportunities. Working with an ISO expert company can help to reach this important milestone faster.

•   Fresh perspective – you know your systems inside and out. You know that your environmental policy is robust, and your quality management systems are all in place. But, do they reach the standard? Are they as robust and versatile as you need and want them to be? Can they really withstand the pressure of interstate and international business? The perspective provided by a fresh pair of objective eyes will make a huge difference.

•   Actionable advice – gaining ISO certification is not rhetoric. They are important business standards that speak volumes about your business's ability to deliver your product or service. When something is so important, you need clear, actionable advice and guidance.

•   Invest for great rewards – when budgets and operating margins are tight, it can be counter-intuitive to pay for a service that essentially, you may think, you can do yourself. It just means slaving away over your desk… but support, guidance and advice from a company who works daily in the fast-paced world of ISO standards will save you time, and money.

Your business is everything. Gaining accreditation and certification such as ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 will speak volumes to your trade partners, as well as propelling you beyond the reach of your competitors. Why not speak to ISOsafe today on 1300 789 132 or email enquiries@isosafe.com.au to see how much easier gaining certification is with an expert by your side