An inquest has heard that up to half of all heavy-truck drivers suffer from sleep apnoea, a condition blamed for causing a Victorian truckie to fall asleep at the wheel before a fatal head-on collision.
The 52-year-old truck driver was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnoea after the collision. He pleaded guilty to negligent driving causing death and was given a suspended 10-month jail sentence.
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital sleep specialist Anup Desai said that the disorder was prevalent but under-reported, and even though GPs detected symptoms, they didn't necessarily refer truck drivers for further assessment and diagnosis by a sleep specialist.
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Source: The Australian
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Worker killed after being crushed by one-tonne steel beam
A 32-year-old man has died after being crushed by a one-tonne steel beam at a tip.
The man was pile driving at the site of the tip's new waste transfer station. He left an excavator to direct a steel beam into a hole.
"The beam has started to swing uncontrollably in the air, it's hit him on the head as it has swung around. It has then actually come away from the excavator and rolled onto his chest” Inspector Glen Woolley said.
Other workers tried to administer first aid but the man died a short time later in hospital. Unions Tasmania says the death can only be described as an absolute tragedy.
"We've been to meet representatives of the minister and Workplace Standards Tasmania on numerous occasions, voicing concerns about health and safety in the construction industry” Spokesman Kevin Harkins said.
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Source: ABC News
The man was pile driving at the site of the tip's new waste transfer station. He left an excavator to direct a steel beam into a hole.
"The beam has started to swing uncontrollably in the air, it's hit him on the head as it has swung around. It has then actually come away from the excavator and rolled onto his chest” Inspector Glen Woolley said.
Other workers tried to administer first aid but the man died a short time later in hospital. Unions Tasmania says the death can only be described as an absolute tragedy.
"We've been to meet representatives of the minister and Workplace Standards Tasmania on numerous occasions, voicing concerns about health and safety in the construction industry” Spokesman Kevin Harkins said.
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Source: ABC News
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Electrical apprentice suffers electric shock at building site
An electrical apprentice suffered an electric shock at an apartment site in Canberra last week.
Early investigations suggested the fourth-year apprentice was working alone on a platform ladder and was shocked by a live circuit that she believed had been switched off.
"It's supposed to be turned off and when it is, it should be tagged so that no one else turns it back on" said Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe.
The government's inquiry into health and safety laws on ACT building sites found the ACT had the worst record for construction site safety in Australia with one in every 40 workers expected to sustain a serious injury on the job each year.
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Source: The Canberra Times
Early investigations suggested the fourth-year apprentice was working alone on a platform ladder and was shocked by a live circuit that she believed had been switched off.
"It's supposed to be turned off and when it is, it should be tagged so that no one else turns it back on" said Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe.
The government's inquiry into health and safety laws on ACT building sites found the ACT had the worst record for construction site safety in Australia with one in every 40 workers expected to sustain a serious injury on the job each year.
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Source: The Canberra Times
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
OSHA inspection leads to fine for company that exposed workers to ammonia
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited a company that produces pasta with 12 safety violations following a complaint inspection alleging workers were exposed to ammonia. Proposed fines total $54,000.
Eight serious violations were cited for deficiencies in the company's ammonia refrigeration process. These included a lack of written standard operating procedures for the ammonia refrigeration process, no emergency action plan and failing to perform inspections and tests on process equipment.
Three additional serious violations involve failing to develop, implement and train employees in hazard communication, provide an emergency eyewash station and provide material data safety sheets for hazardous chemicals present in the workplace.
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Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23556
Eight serious violations were cited for deficiencies in the company's ammonia refrigeration process. These included a lack of written standard operating procedures for the ammonia refrigeration process, no emergency action plan and failing to perform inspections and tests on process equipment.
Three additional serious violations involve failing to develop, implement and train employees in hazard communication, provide an emergency eyewash station and provide material data safety sheets for hazardous chemicals present in the workplace.
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Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23556
Firm fined £60,000 after an employee's hair was ripped out by machinery
A company has been fined £60,000 after a young worker was severely injured when her hair was ripped out by poorly guarded machinery.
The 25-year-old was sorting clothes hangers on a conveyor when her scarf and hair became caught in the chain and sprocket drive of the belt as she bent over to remove accumulated hangers.
She sustained serious throat injuries, lost a substantial part of her hair and fractured a finger in the incident.
The firm had fitted a guard to the conveyor but it did not fully enclose the dangerous moving parts. There was no emergency stop button on the conveyor and the company's risk assessment failed to identify the dangers of entanglement in conveyors.
The company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay costs of £21,668.
HSE Inspector David Wynne said: "Employers must ensure that workers are properly monitored, supervised and trained when working with this sort of equipment."
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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-w-mainetti.htm
The 25-year-old was sorting clothes hangers on a conveyor when her scarf and hair became caught in the chain and sprocket drive of the belt as she bent over to remove accumulated hangers.
She sustained serious throat injuries, lost a substantial part of her hair and fractured a finger in the incident.
The firm had fitted a guard to the conveyor but it did not fully enclose the dangerous moving parts. There was no emergency stop button on the conveyor and the company's risk assessment failed to identify the dangers of entanglement in conveyors.
The company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay costs of £21,668.
HSE Inspector David Wynne said: "Employers must ensure that workers are properly monitored, supervised and trained when working with this sort of equipment."
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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-w-mainetti.htm
Employees exposed to potentially deadly bacteria
A trust has been fined for safety failings after employees were exposed to a potentially deadly strain of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) bacteria when a test vial smashed in a specialist laboratory.
The HSE identified the following issues with the management and maintenance of the containment facility:
• Inadequate risk assessments for activities involving TB
• Critical control measures weren't examined, monitored, tested or maintained
• Poor emergency arrangements in the event of an incident
• Those responsible for health and safety were lacking appropriate training
The test vial containing a strain of TB bacteria smashed when it fell to the floor. Three employees were present and a fourth risked exposure when she helped with the clean up operation.
No-one suffered any adverse effects, but The Trust should also have better implemented appropriate and adequate control measures, and ensured that staff were suitably trained. The Trust was fined £12,500 and ordered to pay £25,000 in costs.
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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-ldn-01013.htm
The HSE identified the following issues with the management and maintenance of the containment facility:
• Inadequate risk assessments for activities involving TB
• Critical control measures weren't examined, monitored, tested or maintained
• Poor emergency arrangements in the event of an incident
• Those responsible for health and safety were lacking appropriate training
The test vial containing a strain of TB bacteria smashed when it fell to the floor. Three employees were present and a fourth risked exposure when she helped with the clean up operation.
No-one suffered any adverse effects, but The Trust should also have better implemented appropriate and adequate control measures, and ensured that staff were suitably trained. The Trust was fined £12,500 and ordered to pay £25,000 in costs.
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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-ldn-01013.htm
Monday, January 21, 2013
Manufacturer cited for failing to protect workers from exposure to hazardous materials
OSHA has cited a manufacturer with 6 serious safety violations for failing to protect workers from exposure to hazardous materials and provide adequate emergency response plans and training at the company's manufacturing plant. Proposed fines total $41,200.
"Manufacturers need to demonstrate a commitment to properly training and protecting workers from exposure to hazards," said Tom Bielema, OSHA's area director in Peoria.
3 of the violations involve failing to ensure workers used protective equipment when exposed to hazards capable of causing injury and impairment. These included a lack of hand, eye and face protection for workers exposed to liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids.
The remaining violations involve failing to include evacuation routes and procedures in the company's emergency response and contingency plan and to ensure workers engaged in emergency response involving inhalation hazards were provided with breathing apparatus for respiratory protection and trained on adequate emergency response.
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Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23538
"Manufacturers need to demonstrate a commitment to properly training and protecting workers from exposure to hazards," said Tom Bielema, OSHA's area director in Peoria.
3 of the violations involve failing to ensure workers used protective equipment when exposed to hazards capable of causing injury and impairment. These included a lack of hand, eye and face protection for workers exposed to liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids.
The remaining violations involve failing to include evacuation routes and procedures in the company's emergency response and contingency plan and to ensure workers engaged in emergency response involving inhalation hazards were provided with breathing apparatus for respiratory protection and trained on adequate emergency response.
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Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23538
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