Occupational Health & Safety

Mobile Crane fires

Following a number of incidents in which all terrain mobile cranes burnt during road travel, Liebherr is inviting owners of models LTM 1070 (second hand) and LTM 1080/1 (new) to contact the company about conducting an inspection.

Click here to read Liebherr’s alert.
 

Worker impalement carries warning: cap off reo bars

Another reminder of the importance of making sure that exposed reo bars are protected with caps. A carpenter was hospitalized after falling and becoming impaled on a y16 steel reo bar today.

Click here to read the safety alert.
 

JLG boom lift alert following fatality in WA

The CFMEU has issued the following alert after a worker was fatally injured when the boom and basket of a JLG boom lift collapsed and the man fell about six meters while operating the EWP in Port Headland. The incident is being investigated by Worksafe Western Australia and is subject to a coronial inquiry.

Click here to read the safety alert.
 

Product Warning Re Imported Plywood

The Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA), formerly the Plywood Association of Australasia, has today released a Technical Note titled "Warning Notice re Substituting Imported PS1-95 Industrial Plywood for AS/NZS 2269 Structural Plywood".

The concerns raised are that the imported plywood, although similar in many respects to locally manufactured product, differ in a number of key respects making it unsuitable in a number of applications. In fact, the use of this product as a substitute to AS/NZS 2269 plywood in any structural applications is potentially unsafe and could lead to sudden catastrophic failure.

Read the EWPAA release

Click here to download the Technical Note.
 

Faulty Formwork KILLS

The CFMEU has launched a national campaign around Formwork Safety.

The decision follows a number of fatalities and serious incidences due to collapsed pre-cast floor slabs or formwork collapses during concrete pours.

The CFMEU Campaign promotes awareness of the hazards of faulty formwork. The Union has produced a checklist for Safety Committees and delegates and a poster to draw members' attention to the problems.

Key questions are:

• Has your formwork been properly constructed?
• Is the formwork structurally adequate?
• Has a structural engineer inspected the formwork before a concrete pour?
• Is there safe access and work areas for concretors, steel fixers etc.?

If workers have any concerns about the formwork on their job, they should contact the Union. Download a copy of the checklist for your site. Contact your CFMEU organiser for leaflets and posters for this campaign.

Other OHS Alerts

Open Risks from Exposed Reinforcement Bars: rebar-caps do not prevent impalement (NSW April 2006) Adobe Acrobat pdf (46kb)

Open PCBs in Concrete Structures Adobe Acrobat pdf (100kb)

Open Safety Instructions message Adobe Acrobat pdf (28kb)

Open Lubeca Jump Up Formwork System Adobe Acrobat pdf (16kb)

Open Crane collapse on a Universal Construction site Adobe Acrobat pdf (189kb)

Open Laminated scaffold planks fail without warning Adobe Acrobat pdf (102kb)

Open Snake Alert Adobe Acrobat pdf (75kb)

Open Joint Industry Safety Alert - Work Practices amongst Panel Props Adobe Acrobat pdf (45kb)

  United we bargain - Divided we beg.

Contact the ACT Branch at:
2 Badham Street
PO Box 498, Dickson ACT 2602
Ph: 02 6267 1599
Fax: 02 6249 1247
Email: enquiries@act.cfmeu.asn.au