Site of Killed Man Had Safety Issues

A union had raised concerns regarding a Sydney work site two weeks prior to the death of a young man.

The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) said work had stopped on the site where a 22-year-old man was killed on Saturday.

The Canadian backpacker succumbed to head and chest injuries which were a result of being hit by a number of metal beams during the demolition of a building in Australia Street in Camperdown.

CFMEU state secretary Brian Parker said union organiser Tony Sloane had stopped work on the site around Easter following raised concerns  about how the demolition work was being carried out.

“While the full circumstances of the death are still not known, we fear there have been shortcuts taken to demolish the building faster,” Mr Parker said.

“If that is the case and this young Canadian has lost his life to help boost some builder’s bottom line then it just magnifies the tragedy.

“What was meant to be the trip of a lifetime has instead cost this young man his life.

“We will do all we can to ensure the truth of what happened today is exposed.”

Mr Parker said more deaths were likely as WorkCover was sacking inspectors and closing branches across Sydney and regional NSW.

WorkCover is investigating and police will prepare a report for the coroner.

More Occupational Health and Safety

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/man-dies-at-inner-sydney-worksite/story-fn3dxiwe-1226619731891

OHS: Christmas Season Bad For Bosses

 Australian employees are expected to take approximately one million sick days this holiday season, costing employers $350 million.Absenteeism will be especially high this season with data suggesting that 1,069,889 working days will be lost mainly because Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve both fall Mondays.

This means that anyone who decides to fake sickness on December 24 will be subject to a five-day break. In addition, those who decide to avoid work on December 31 will get a four day break. Approximately 570,000 ‘sickies’ are expected on these two days.

Surveys conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Morgan and Banks and Direct Health Solutions on workplace absenteeism, revealed that 67 per cent of workers admit to taking a sick day on a Monday.Reports indicate that employees who have become more privy since they are now 50 per cent more likely to ask for a certificate before or after a public holiday.

Many workplaces that stay open during the Christmas- New Year period suffer from higher levels of absenteeism.According to Paul Dunden, chief executive of Direct Health Solutions, service and production roles going full throttle during the Christmas period.”As a result these industries are at risk of high levels of absenteeism either side of public holidays over the festive season,” he said.

Retailers are  especially susceptible to absenteeism.

“Retail tends to increase shifts during the Christmas and Boxing Day sales period because it is the busiest shopping period in the year,” said Margy Osmond chief executive of the Australian National Retailers Association.

More info on Occupational Health and Safety

Source: http://tools.themercury.com.au/stories/53873245-business-news.php

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