By Nicole Precel
WORKSAFE Victoria has caught out 167 Williamstown businesses for health and safety breaches.
WorkSafe issued 200 notices over a period of five days, as part of WorkSafe’s Safe Towns, Safer Work Zones campaign.
Inspectors will be returning over the next six weeks to check whether health and safety breaches have been fixed.
Over the past five financial years, the Hobsons Bay area has recorded 4859 claims for workplace injury or illness, costing $82.52 million in treatment and rehabilitation costs.
Eight notices related to dangerous lathes not being guarded, which meant workers were at risk of being pulled into the machinery by their clothing.
WorkSafe found unsafe manual handling practices; incorrectly tagged or positioned electrical leads; insecure racking; inadequately maintained air receivers; incorrect use; handling and storage of dangerous goods; and lack of suitable first aid facilities.
Improvement notices were also issued for forklift safety, including missing or inappropriate seatbelts, inadequate maintenance, and worn tynes.
There were also eight Accident Compensation Act breaches found for failing to have and maintain a register of injuries, and failing to display the correct ‘If you are injured’ poster.
Acting executive director for Health and Safety Stan Krpan said Williamstown businesses needed to go back to basics with health and safety and take a closer look at their workplaces.
“These visits have brought to light a number of health and safety hazards, which could cause serious injury to workers, but are easily remedied – such as re-positioning electrical leads, fitting seatbelts on forklifts, and changing workplace layout to reduce the risk of manual handling injuries,” he said.
“Workers need to remember that if they speak up when they see safety issues, it will help make their workplace safer. It might even prevent someone from being needlessly injured.”
