Safety should be the prime focus for all operators
The latest safety statistics from WorkSafe show that there is still plenty of work to be done to improve safety in Victoria’s extractive industry. CMPA Executive Director ROGER BUCKLEY presents an overview of the latest findings.
AN analysis of the 2008/09 safety statistics for the extractive industry in Victoria from WorkSafe indicates that the worrying trend of a decreasing safety record for the industry last year has continued in 2008/09.
The Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (number of lost time injuries per million hours worked) is a measure of the risk of lost time injuries and is a key indicator.
The Victorian extractive industry rate is above the national average for the resources sector in general. This is clearly unacceptable and every effort should be made by regulators, management and employees to work together to ensure that ‘safety first’ is a priority at all times.
FREE OHS CONSULTANCY
The CMPA has made arrangements with WorkSafe for a number of places available for free OHS consultancies in 2009/10. Any business with less than 50 employees – CMPA member or not, is encouraged to make use of this service to further improve safety on your site.
To book a session, contact the Secretariat. CMPA encourages it members to provide relevant safety reports to WorkSafe (Ph: 132360) to ensure that industry wide statistics are as accurate as possible to properly inform policy development and inspection activities.
(source WorkSafe 06/07, 07/08 & 08/09, DPI 04/05 & 05/06)
Lost Time Injury (LTI): A work injury which results in an inability to work for at least the next shift any time after the day or shift on which the injury occurs.
LTI frequency rate: the number of lost time injuries per million hours worked.
LTI incident rate: The number of injuries per 1,000 employees.
LTI duration rate: The average number of days lost per LTIs & fatalities.
FINE FOR WORKER’S DEATH
The Barro group was fined $650,000 in December 2009 over the death of a maintenance contractor at Donnybrook in 2005 who was crushed when a fixed jaw liner fell on him whilst he was in the crusher box.
This follows DPI’s successful prosecution of the equipment supplier, Extec Sales & Distribution Australia Pty Ltd, who was fined $140,000 over the same incidence for failing to provide accurate information in the rock crusher manual.
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