Study reveals that an alarming number of businesses face prosecution for non-compliance

A recent study has shown that around 50% of businesses are not adequately compliant with their Workplace Health and Safety Obligations. All organisations, including small businesses and not for profits are required to have a Work Health and Safety (WHS) framework to manage the safety and wellbeing of staff, visitors and contractors.

What happens when your business is not compliant with the Work Health Safety Act 2011 (the Act)?

Like all things in life, taking short cuts will eventually catch up with you. Businesses that ignore their work health safety duties risk heavy penalties (up to $3m), plus gaol time for decision makers, such as directors.

Don’t risk non-compliance to Australian workplace safety laws. Take our short survey to see if your business is compliant with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011:

☑   Do you regularly consult with all stakeholders within your business regarding Work Health and Safety?

☑   Have you identified and managed all hazards in your workplace?

☑   Are you providing your staff regular training, relevant to their day-to-day duties to keep them safe?

☑   Are you providing a framework for reporting incidents and managing emergencies such as first aid?

☑   Do you have evidence of compliance to WHS? This includes regular workplace inspection records, safety notices, and meeting minutes

If you have answered NO to any of the above, then you are not meeting your legal obligations under the Act.

Call ISOsafe on 1300 789 132 and speak to one of our Work Health & Safety specialists to discuss how you can become compliant and meet your legal obligations.

Sydney car auction company fined more than $250,000 after death of forklift operator

A Sydney car auction company has been fined more than a quarter of a million dollars after a forklift operator was killed while unloading a truck at Milperra, NSW in 2013.
A 36 year old forklift operator and a 19 year old labourer were moving a cabinet from a truck onto a forklift at the company’s motor vehicle storage and auction site, when they both lost control of the load. The incident resulted in the death of the forklift operator and the labourer was left with fractured ribs and an injured knee.
SafeWork NSW charged the company with a breach of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 for failing to ensure the health and safety of workers.
The company were found guilty by the District Court in June this year and fined $255,000.
Executive Director of SafeWork NSW, Peter Dunphy said the incident highlighted the risks of working with forklifts and need to provide effective supervision and support to young workers.
“Forklifts continue to be a major factor in workplace deaths and injuries,” Mr Dunphy said.
“Between July 2012 and July 2014, 1,360 workers were injured in forklift incidents, including five fatalities.
“The social and economic impact is also significant, including a cost of $15.8 million to the NSW workers compensation scheme.
“Young workers make up approximately 12 per cent of all employment injuries and occupational diseases across the State, and are more vulnerable to workplace safety risks because of their inexperience or reluctance to speak up about safety concerns.
“Our investigation found that a lack of safety systems, instruction and supervision were major contributors to this incident.
“The company failed to train and instruct the workers how to safely remove the cabinet from the truck and did not tell them which forklift could safely carry the cabinet."
“This resulted in the workers selecting the wrong sized forklift with tragic results.”
“This incident highlights the need for employers to have appropriate systems in place to ensure that all workers, particularly young workers, receive sufficient training and support to work safely.”
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 or email us at enquiries@isosafe.com.au, to learn more about our services for businesses and their owners.