Mobil’s Altona plant in Victoria has had new OHS and environmental conditions placed on its operating licence due to ongoing health, safety and environmental incidents.

The new OHS licensing conditions ‘have been put in place due to persisting health and safety incidents since the facility was last licensed in 2007,’ WorkSafe Victoria said.

‘The refinery has also been reporting more incidents than other facilities of a similar size.’

The Mobil plant and other Major Hazard Facilities (MHFs) in Victoria must report incidents, including the ‘escape, spillage or leakage of any substance that exposes a person in the immediate vicinity to an immediate risk’, to WorkSafe Victoria.

Mobil has until November this year to demonstrate that the risk of such incidents is significantly reduced.

‘We’re interested in getting Mobil to identify what isn’t working, and fix it,’ WorkSafe Victoria acting executive director for health and safety Stan Krpan said.

‘It will mean that Mobil will need to put more time and effort into safety inspection and maintenance.’

WorkSafe Victoria said the new licence conditions would come into force later this month and would last until December 2012.

Meanwhile, EPA Victoria has cancelled Mobil’s accredited environmental licence, which means Mobil is no longer entitled to reduced licence fees and conducting works without approval in certain circumstances.

‘It is EPA’s belief that Mobil’s onsite practices have not demonstrated a high level of environmental performance to justify accreditation,’ EPA chief executive officer John Merritt said.

Mobil can continue to operate, but under stricter environmental regulations and conditions.

For more details, visit WorkSafe Victoria and EPA Victoria

Federal Court proceedings have been launched against Australia Post following the discovery of allegedly unroadworthy postal delivery bikes in the Northern Territory.

Comcare launched the Federal Court proceedings after an investigation into the death of a postal contractor found six allegedly unroadworthy bikes at the Northern Territory’s Palmerston Delivery Centre.

The postal contractor was killed in a road incident in 2008, but the investigation found the bike was not the cause the incident.

Comcare alleges Australia Post has breached Commonwealth OHS laws by not maintaining roadworthy and safe bikes.

‘Comcare acknowledges that Australia Post has since taken steps to improve and monitor its bike inspection and maintenance procedures,’ Comcare CEO Paul O’Connor said.

‘However, this court action will help underline the importance of ensuring that all motorbikes used to deliver the mail are safe and roadworthy every single time they are used.’

For more details, visit Comcare

Recent employer research shows low levels of workplace literacy and numeracy are negatively affecting productivity and workplace safety.

The Australian Industry Group’s National Workforce Literacy Project, May 2010, found more than 75 per cent of employers believed poor literacy and numeracy affected their business.

The Australian Industry Group conducted employer roundtables and an employer survey in late 2009 to assess the extent of literacy and numeracy problems in the Australian workforce and the impact on business.

Fifty-eight companies from manufacturing, construction and service sectors participated in the roundtables, and 338 companies, employing 56,000 staff, responded to the survey.

‘Poor completion of workplace documents and time wasting through repeated work were the most reported impacts at over 40 per cent,’ Heather Ridout, chief executive of the Australian Industry Group said.

‘But there is a long list of other important consequences, including ineffective work teams, materials wastage, ineffective training, financial miscalculations, workplace injuries and unsafe work practices and recruitment difficulties.’

Forty five per cent of the employers surveyed said low levels of literacy and numeracy mostly affected labourers and process workers.

However, the report also noted all of the occupational categories listed in the survey – such as managers and engineers – were affected by poor literacy and numeracy to some extent.

To help rectify the problem, 31 per cent of employers supported skill development in the workplace using co-worker support, 29 per cent supported redesigning workplace documents and communication, and 25 per cent supported adjusting expectations and responsibilities for some employees.

However, only 8 per cent of employers said they had adequate capacity to help improve literacy and numeracy skills. And 28 per cent of small business employers said they had no capacity to help improve skills.

For the full report, visit the Australian Industry Group

Limited English and inadequate instruction from an untrained employee have led to several broken bones, lacerations and a $40,000 fine.

A worker with limited English and training was moving an unloaded telehandler (a forklift or a tractor with a boom attached) when he hit an employee of another company contracted to transport potatoes.

The employee of the other company sustained several broken bones in his right foot and lacerations to his elbow and head.

The worker operating the telehandler had watched a five-minute demonstration in English just prior to using the machinery for the first time.

The demonstration was given by another worker who had no formal qualifications or training in operating a telehandler, or in instructing others in how to use a telehandler.

The workers’ employer, Mondello Farms Pty Ltd, was prosecuted in the Mildura Magistrates Court for breaching the Victorian OHS Act 2004. Mondello pleaded guilty and was convicted and fined $40,000.

‘No attempt was made to arrange for another employee to interpret the instructions on how to operate the telehandler,’ WorkSafe Victoria acting executive director for health and safety Stan Krpan said.

‘His only instruction on how to use this piece of machinery, which weighed over three and a half tonnes, was from someone who wasn’t even licensed to use it.

‘This is a reminder for employers about their legal duties to ensure workers are provided with information, instruction, training or supervision which enables them to perform their work in a way that is safe and without risks to health.’

For more details, visit WorkSafe Victoria

OHS professionals are in demand, according to the latest Hays salary guide.

‘With a focus on business efficiencies and cost savings we expect organisations to continue to recruit OH&S candidates to prevent injuries in the first instance,’ The 2010 Hays Salary Guide said.

‘This is already occurring in Victoria and South Australia. Costs due to work cover premiums have been a measurable way that HR can reduce costs to a business.’

Public sector employers, however, ‘are less willing to offer development opportunities to new employees’, the guide said.

‘Employers expect a candidate to meet all their selection criteria and are often inflexible and non-negotiable about key aspects of their roles.’

The guide said OHS managers could expect to earn a typical salary of between $85,000 and $110,000 a year, depending on the capital city in which they worked. Sydney OHS managers are paid the highest salaries and ACT managers the lowest.

For more details, visit The 2010 Hays Salary Guide

BP and other parties have received their first multimillion-dollar clean-up bill from the Obama Administration for the ongoing Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The $69.09 million bill covers the costs of the US federal entities and agencies that have responded to the ongoing Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

BP has accepted full responsibility for the oil spill clean-up and must pay for stopping the leak and cleaning up the environment among other costs.

BP and other parties can expect to receive further bills from the US Federal Government. ‘Federal response activities not subject to billing at this time, including future activities, will be billed to the responsible parties through subsequent invoices,’ the Obama Administration statement said.

‘In addition, these bills do not include any other costs for which BP and the other responsible parties are liable to any other party.’

BP’s payment will reimburse the US Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF), which is administered by the US Coast Guard.

Meanwhile, BP continues to attempt to stem the flow of oil.

For more details, visit Deepwater Horizon Response, OSLTF and BP

Underground roof falls in coal mines in summer are again the target of the US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

The annual Preventive Roof/Rib Outreach Program (PROP) that runs from May to September will highlight the increased risk of roof and rib falls in coal mines during summer.

‘As temperatures rise, humidity and moisture increase underground, making it easier for a mine roof or rib to fall,’ MSHA said.

MSHA said during PROP it would advise mine operators to examine weathered roofs; communicate adverse roof conditions immediately; install extra support as required; scale loose roofs at the coalface; and consistently follow approved roof control plans.

Sixty-nine coal miners had been killed in roof falls in summer and other parts of the year since 2000.

‘Underground roof falls continue to be a leading cause of coal mining fatalities,’ said Joseph A Main, US Assistant Secretary of Labor for MSH. ‘Miners and mine operators are urged to pay attention to roof conditions – not just in summer, but throughout the year.’

For more details, visit MSHA

Premier League football club Aston Villa and Mechanical Cleansing Services have been fined after a worker fell through a roof light at Aston Villa’s training ground.

Aston Villa had contracted Mechanical Cleansing Services to clean drained fuel tanks on the roof of a building at its Bodymoor Heath training ground near Sutton Coldfield.

Mechanical Cleansing Services then engaged two workers to clean the tanks.

Both workers were on the roof when one of the workers attempted to climb down the ladder on the outside front of the building and fell 3 metres through a roof light.

The worker was seriously injured and was off work for more than six months.

Aston Villa, Mechanical Cleansing Services and Mechanical Cleansing Services’ director Damon Roe were prosected for breaching UK OHS laws. All admitted breaching the laws.

The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said Roe had decided the ladder on the outside front of the building would be used to access the roof’s plant room as an internal ladder was blocked.

‘There was clear failure to warn the victim or his colleague of the dangerous condition of the roof or to provide safe access to the tank,’ HSE inspector Carol Southerd said.

Aston Villa Football Club Ltd was fined £1,350 and ordered to pay £1,610 costs. Mechanical Cleansing Services Ltd – of Aston, Birmingham – was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,610 costs. Director Damon Roe was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,610 costs.

For more details, visit the HSE

Failure to isolate a skylight has resulted in a subcontractor falling onto a concrete floor and the prosecution of two New Zealand companies.

The subcontractor was working on a roof when he stepped on to the skylight and fell 4.5 metres to a concrete floor in Auckland, in May 2009.

Marua Developments Limited had engaged Roofing Specialists Auckland Limited to repair the gutters on its building, and then Roofing Specialists Auckland Limited engaged the subcontractor to carryout the work.

The New Zealand Department of Labour northern regional manager, John Howard, said the incident could have been prevented. ‘It is not enough to simply instruct workers not to stand on skylights. Any brittle roofing material needs to be physically isolated.’

Marua Developments Limited and Roofing Specialists Auckland Limited were prosecuted in Auckland District Court for breaching the New Zealand Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.

Roofing Specialists Auckland Limited was fined $14,100 and ordered to pay reparations totalling $5,000.

Marua Development Limited was fine of $11,750 and ordered to pay reparation totalling $2,500.

For more details, visit the New Zealand Dept of Labour

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