Announcements

Showing 51 - 75 of 187 results
The Minister for Industrial Relations has approved a series of Work Health and Safety codes of practice which came into effect today. These codes have been adapted for Western Australian work health and safety environments from the Model codes of practice published by Safe Work Australia, developed through consultation with unions and employer organisations. Dr Patricia Todd, Chair of the Work...
WorkSafe
Department News
15 Jul 2022
A Welshpool engineering company and its director have been fined a total of $460,000 (and ordered to pay $5000 in costs) over the death of a worker who was crushed by a piece of pipe that fell off a semi-trailer that was being unloaded. VDM Engineering Pty Ltd and director David Van De Meeberg pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing...
WorkSafe
Media release
29 Jun 2022
A Welshpool engineering company and its director have been fined a total of $460,000 (and ordered to pay $5000 in costs) over the death of a worker who was crushed by a piece of pipe that fell off a semi-trailer that was being unloaded. VDM Engineering Pty Ltd and director David Van De Meeberg pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing...
WorkSafe
Media release
29 Jun 2022
The Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022 create a duty for the mine operator to establish and implement a mine safety management system (MSMS). The MSMS is the primary means of ensuring safe operations by providing direction to everyone at a mine site. It must be in place before mining operations commence and also applies to exploration operations. To assist mine operators to establish...
WorkSafe
Department News
28 Jun 2022
The Managing Director of a Bayswater recycling company has been fined $70,000 over an incident in which a labour hire worker’s arm was amputated at the shoulder. Salvatore Tomo Mangione, Managing Director of Resource Recovery Solutions Pty Ltd, pleaded guilty to failing as a director to provide and maintain a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing serious harm to a labour hire worker...
WorkSafe
Media release
28 Jun 2022
WorkSafe Commissioner Darren Kavanagh will conduct an inquiry into the agricultural industry after the 12 th work-related death in 12 months in the sector yesterday. A 24-year-old male died yesterday between Varley Creek and Lake King in the Great Southern. He was moving a bogged vehicle with a tractor when the towing equipment he was using failed and he was struck in the head, causing fatal...
WorkSafe
Media release
22 Jun 2022
A transport service company has been fined a total of $89,000 (and ordered to pay $6807 in costs) after being convicted on 24 charges under the State’s workplace fatigue management laws. JSS Logistics Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching fatigue management regulations, and was fined in the Midland Magistrates Court yesterday. A total of 21 charges related to breaches of hours of work fatigue...
WorkSafe
Media release
17 Jun 2022
WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death this morning of a worker at a North Coogee salt refinery. He was reported to have been working with a conveyor belt when he was caught in the belt. WorkSafe investigators examine the circumstances of incidents with a view to ensuring compliance and preventing future incidents of a similar nature. WorkSafe Commissioner Darren Kavanagh said any work-...
WorkSafe
Media release
16 Jun 2022
WorkSafe has commenced prosecution action against a Bassendean engineering company over the death of a worker who was crushed by machinery in May 2019. Hofmann Engineering Pty Ltd has been charged with failing to provide a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing the death of an employee. On May 9, 2019, a welder employed by Hofmann Engineering was in the fabrication workshop welding...
WorkSafe
Media release
07 Jun 2022
A building company has been fined $45,000 (and ordered to pay $5000 in costs) over an incident in which a worker fell approximately three metres through a concealed void at a construction site in Safety Bay. Alcove Engineering & Construction Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe working environment for a person who was not their employee, and was fined in the...
WorkSafe
Media release
27 May 2022
A Bayswater waste recycling company has been fined $230,000 after successfully appealing an earlier conviction in which it was fined $330,000 over an incident in which a labour hire worker’s arm was amputated at the shoulder. Resource Recovery Solutions Pty Ltd was previously found guilty and sentenced in November 2020 for two offences – gross negligence in failing to provide and maintain a safe...
WorkSafe
Media release
22 Apr 2022
The new Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 (WHS Regulations) were gazetted on 11 March 2022 and will commence on the 31 March 2022, bringing the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 into full force and effect. The WHS Regulations replace the current Occupational and Safety Regulations 1996 (OSH Regulations). You can access the WHS Regulations on the WA Legislation website: WALW - Work...
WorkSafe
Department News
25 Mar 2022
The State of Western Australia (Department of Justice) has been fined $900,000 (and ordered to pay $6404 in costs) after an employee was seriously injured when attacked by a dog that was intended to respond to critical incidents. Department of Justice pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing serious harm to an employee, and was fined...
WorkSafe
Media release
24 Mar 2022
WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death of an 89-year-old farmer at Berkshire Valley – 200km north of Perth – late on Tuesday. The farmer was reported to have been unloading hay from a tractor when the vehicle slipped into gear and rolled, striking him. WorkSafe investigators examine the circumstances of incidents with a view to ensuring compliance and preventing future incidents of a...
WorkSafe
Media release
10 Feb 2022
WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death of a shearer at Katrine, between Northam and Toodyay. The man was reported to have been placing wool into a wool press yesterday when he was caught in the machinery. WorkSafe investigators examine the circumstances of incidents in workplaces with a view to ensuring compliance and preventing future incidents of a similar nature. WorkSafe WA...
WorkSafe
Media release
14 Jan 2022
WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death yesterday of a 72-year-old farmer at Maya in WA’s Mid-West, around 240km NNE of Perth. The man was reported to have been jump-starting an old tractor in order to use it to release a bogged truck when the tractor struck him. It then continued travelling into a paddock where it hit trees and started a fire. WorkSafe investigators examine the...
WorkSafe
Media release
22 Dec 2021
The McGowan Government has released exposure drafts of regulations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 ahead of the commencement of major work health and safety (WHS) reforms in March 2022. Releasing the exposure drafts of the supporting regulations provides all participants in Western Australian workplaces the opportunity to prepare themselves to meet the requirements of the new Act and to...
WorkSafe
Alert
20 Dec 2021
A South Bayswater engineering company has been fined $200,000 (and ordered to pay $3320.50 in costs) over an incident in which a worker’s arm was amputated below the elbow. B&Y Precision Engineering Pty Ltd (trading as De Cassan Industries) pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and was fined in the Armadale Magistrates Court last week. In October 2018, an...
WorkSafe
Media release
20 Dec 2021
An exploration drilling company has been fined $256,000 (and ordered to pay $2363.50 in costs) over an incident in which a contractor died after being struck by a large “stillson” wrench. The stillson – otherwise known as a pipe wrench – had been attached to a drill rig that was being operated under hydraulic power. Orbit Drilling Pty Ltd pleaded guilty as a principal that engaged a contractor to...
WorkSafe
Media release
20 Dec 2021
On 15 December 2021, Minister Stephen Dawson MLC made a Brief Ministerial Statement in Parliament advising that the Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws will come into effect in March 2022. Originally scheduled for January 2022, the new laws will bring together work health and safety for general industry, mines and petroleum and geothermal operations under a single WHS Act. Draft WHS regulations...
WorkSafe
Department News
16 Dec 2021
A construction company has been fined $320,000 (and ordered to pay $22,212.45 in costs) over an incident in 2017 in which a young worker fell to his death. 17-year-old Wesley Ballantine died after he fell through a void in the roof of an internal atrium at the old GPO building during the construction of the H&M store in Forrest Place, Perth. Industrial Construction Services Pty Ltd (ICS) was...
WorkSafe
Media release
26 Nov 2021
A subcontractor on the Forrestfield Airport Link Project has been fined $200,000 (and ordered to pay $2847.50 in costs) over serious injuries suffered by a worker in July 2018. Salini Australia Pty Ltd pleaded guilty in October to failing to provide and maintain a safe working environment and, by that failure, causing serious harm to an employee (maximum fine $400,000), and was fined in the Perth...
WorkSafe
Media release
23 Nov 2021
A site supervisor at a land development company has been fined $10,000 (and ordered to pay $1172.50 in costs) over an incident in 2018 in which a worker was seriously injured when limestone blocks from an adjacent retaining wall and a steel plate fell on him. Glenn Edwin Rush pleaded guilty to failing as an employee to take reasonable care to avoid adversely affecting the health of another person...
WorkSafe
Media release
10 Nov 2021
A Welshpool sheet metal fabrication company has been handed one of the highest ever fines under WA’s workplace safety laws. PGQW Pty Ltd– previously known as Boxline Industries Pty Ltd – and its manager Bradley Michael Shackleton have been fined a total of $650,000 over an incident in 2018 in which an employee suffered serious burns. PGQW pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe...
WorkSafe
Media release
04 Nov 2021
The WorkSafe Western Australia Commissioner has moved to reassure senior leaders that volunteer firefighters will not be adversely affected by the incoming new workplace safety laws. WorkSafe WA Commissioner Darren Kavanagh met with senior leaders from WAFarmers, Pastoralists and Graziers Association, Department of Fire and Emergency Services, the Association of Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades and...
WorkSafe
Media release
04 Oct 2021

Pages