WAHA NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dust and particulate safety
Source: WAHA Member, Height Safety Engineers – Article by Matthew Hatton The inhalation of dust and particulate matter created during building or maintenance work presents a significant health hazard to
Announcing Brendan Sutton as new Chairperson of the Working at Height Association of Australia.Â
As of the 17th of August 2023, Brendan Sutton has accepted the role of Chairperson for the Working at Height Association (WAHA) of Australia. Brendan assumes this role from Michael Biddle, who has
Worker fatally injured after falling through skylight panel
Source: WorkSafe Queensland In June 2023, a worker was fatally injured when he fell through a polycarbonate roof panel, approximately five metres onto a concrete floor. Early enquiries indicate the
Silica and falls the focus of construction blitz
Source: SafeWork NSW Reducing the risk of falls from height and exposure to crystalline silica dust are the focus of WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW as they team up for
New Strategic Partnership: Formwork Industry Association
WAHA is proud to announce our partnership with the FIA, the national body representing the Formwork Industry. The Working at Height Association (WAHA) and the Formwork Industry Association (FIA) have
New Strategic Partnership: Scaffolding Association of Australia
WAHA is very happy to announce our partnership with the newly formed Scaffolding Association of Australia (SAA), the national body representing the Scaffolding profession across Australia. The Working at Height Association
WorkSafe Queensland release new Industry Code for respirable crystalline silica dust exposure.
Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace has approved Queensland’s new Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in construction and manufacturing of construction elements Code of Practice 2022 (PDF, 1.71 MB) The new Code
Dealing with the complexities in height safety management
Source: Article By Scott Barber, for Inside Construction. As the number of complex building and infrastructure projects around the world continues to rise, Working at Height Association Chief Executive Officer Scott Barber
Roofing company fined after worker seriously injured
Source: SafeWork NSW Parrish Group NSW Pty Ltd has been fined $300,000 after a worker was seriously injured falling from a roof in Kembla Grange near Wollongong in March 2020.
Fall protection inspection and certification: more than just a tick-box exercise
Article for Sourceable. Inspections can’t be missed Regular inspections are vitally important. Not only are they a regulatory obligation, but ultimately, they help save lives. That’s why it pays to
Guide to managing the risks of tree work
Source: Safework Australia Safe Work Australia has published updated work health and safety guidance for tree work. The Guide to managing the risks of tree work updates the previous Guide to managing risks
Asbestos company fined $150k after fatal veranda fall.
Source: SafeWork South Australia An Adelaide asbestos removal company has been fined $150,000 after one of its workers fell through the roof of a veranda to his death. The 58-year-old
SafeWork NSW Update Code of Practice: Confined Spaces
Source: SafeWork NSW Confined spaces may pose a danger because they are not designed to be areas where people work. Hazards are not always obvious, may change and the risks
Federal Government passed the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation
At the end of November 2022, the Federal Government passed the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation (Respect@Work) Bill which aims to ensure everyone can work in safe, sexual harassment-free workplaces.
Slips, Trips and Falls
Source: Safe Work Australia Each year slips, trips and falls cause thousands of preventable injuries, with the most common being musculoskeletal injuries and fractures. Persons conducting a business or undertaking
SafeWork NSW Building and Construction SymposiumÂ
The NSW Government’s inaugural Safe Work NSW Building and Construction Symposium was originally scheduled to be a two day event, in Sydney. The WAHA were initially engaged for the Symposium
$2m fine reinforces SafeWork NSW Scaff Safe Message
Source: SafeWork NSW & Lets Talk About Safety A Sydney scaffolding company has been fined $2 million by the NSW District Court, the highest penalty ever recorded for a SafeWork
Is Your Confined Space Rescue Plan Up To Scratch?
It is still a common, albeit not acceptable, occurrence to walk into a workplace within Australia and review a confined space entry permit, only to find that the ‘rescue plan’
Key WHS Statistics – Australia 2022
Each year, Safe Work Australia produces national work health and safety statistics, providing important evidence on the state of work health and safety in Australia. Key Work Health and Safety
WA release Health and Safety Bulletin No. 6 Requirements for flying foxes (zip lines)
Source: SafeWork WA. It has come to the attention of WorkSafe that there are potentially several hundred flying foxes in operation across Western Australia. A flying fox is an amusement
Consultation now open: Safe Work Australia
Source: Safe Work Australia Safe Work Australia is calling for feedback on the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations relating to Major Hazard Facilities (MHFs). The purpose of this
Construction workers seriously injured in spate of falls
WorkSafe Victoria is reminding employers of the risks associated with working from heights after a spate of serious injuries in the construction industry. Source: WorkSafe Victoria On 26 July, an
Managing Psychological Hazards at Work.
Course: Safe Work Australia New model WHS Regulations and Code of Practice to help prevent psychological harm at work. Preventing psychological harm is an essential part of creating a healthy
House moving company and director fined over workplace roof fall
Source: WorkSafe QLD A Queensland house moving company and its director have been fined a total of $60,000 over a work safety incident where a worker fell from a roof.
Safe Work Australia release Guide to Managing Industrial Rope Access
Source: Safe Work Australia The Guide to managing risks of industrial rope access systems was released in June 2022. An industrial rope access system is a work positioning system used for gaining
SafeWork NSW Construction Inspectors are now targeting unsafe rooftop solar installations.
Source: SafeWork NSW 04 July 2022 From June to December 2022, SafeWork Inspectors will be targeting rooftop solar installations across NSW to address serious non-compliance. In 2021, when checking solar
Company fined $600,000 following apprentice’s death.
Source: Work Safe Victoria – Friday 24 Jun 2022 A road tanker manufacturer has been convicted and fined $600,000 following the asphyxiation death of an apprentice while working inside a
Roofing company fined after worker’s fall.
Source: Work Safe Victoria – Friday 10 Jun 2022 A roofing company has been fined $20,000 after a fall at a residential construction site in Mount Duneed. CSR Building Products
Amendments to the model WHS laws
Amendments to the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws have been published on the Safe Work Australia website:model WHS Act and Explanatory Memorandummodel WHS Regulations and Explanatory Statement The amendments implement a number
Are You Keeping Your Workers Safe?
Article by WAHA CEO Scott Barber, for Sourceable. With workplace risk profiles constantly changing and the training & equipment maintenance requirements increasing each year, many organisations go into reactive mode
Australian Government Announce Skills Reform
To support the future growth and prosperity of our nation, the Australian, state and territory governments are committed to improving the vocational education and training (VET) system through reform: a
Workplace Health & Safety Show – Melbourne
The countdown is on until the Workplace Health & Safety Show Melbourne, 25 & 26 May 2022 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. You are invited to join Scott Barber,
Recent News from Standards Australia
The ASNZS 1891:2009 Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices, Part 4: Selection, use and maintenance is currently under review by the SF015 Committee of Standards Australia. A proposal has also been
Know Your Duties – Construction Risk
Construction work can be hazardous, with SafeWork Australia data highlighting that 21 workers lost their lives because of a work-related incident in the construction industry in 2021. The most common
Are You Rescue Ready?
 by Scott Barber, for Sourceable. The following is guidance from the Working at Heights Association about being ready to rescue a worker who is injured when working at height. #1 Update
Company and director fined $320,000 after unprotected fall
Source: WorkSafe Victoria. A residential building company and its director have been convicted and fined a total of $320,000 after a renderer was seriously injured when he fell 3.2 metres
Does a Height Safety Qualification mean a Safe Operator?
Article by Michael Biddle, for Sourceable. Does my Height Safety Qualification Make Me a Safe Operator? It’s not always an easy question to answer, as the reality is that there
Fall Protection in the Construction Industry & Important COVID-19 Precautions.
by Scott Barber for Sourceable. Working at height is a high-risk activity and a leading cause of death and serious injury within the construction industry. In fact, Safe Work Australia reports
Abattoir fined $35,000 after worker’s fall
A mutton abattoir has been convicted and fined $35,000 after an employee fell from a raised platform and hit his head in 2019. Ararat Abattoirs Pty Ltd pleaded guilty in
Near-miss leads to $25,000 fine for unsafe lifting
A heavy-duty trailer manufacturer has been convicted and ordered to pay more than $30,000 after a trailer fell while being lifted, narrowly missing three workers. MaxiTRANS Australia Pty Ltd was
WA releases draft work health and safety regulations
Original Article Posted at Safety Solutions Magazine. Western Australia has released exposure drafts of regulations for the Work Health and Safety Act 2020, ahead of the commencement of major work health
SafeWork Australia Release New Guidance
Source: SafeWork Australia. Have your workplace arrangements changed recently? It’s important to remember that COVID-19 risk management is an ongoing process, not a one-off. See our website for information on
Engineering company fined $300K after fatal crush incident
Original Article Published with Safety Solutions Magazine. Engineering company Andrew Buchanan Engineering Ltd has been fined $300,000, following an incident in which a worker was fatally crushed at a Leitchville
Ladder safety systems vs ladder cages: the new shift
Original article By Scott Barber, CEO of WAHA, for Safety Solutions Magazine. Regular access to elevated points on buildings or structures to perform routine maintenance or other tasks is not uncommon.
WAHA Technical Meetings to resume in 2022
As a voice for industry, our industry tiers of membership reflects leadership in the field. To support our members and help maintain our position as a leading advocate for safety,
COVID-19 Management Liability
COVID-19’s implications for your management liability The pandemic raises an extra layer of unpredictability for directors and officers of companies, so this article is a handy checklist about what you
At height risks in construction: a more holistic approach
This Article was written by the WAHA CEO, Scott Barber, for Safety Solutions. When it comes to deaths and serious injuries resulting from falls from height, construction workers top the
Work-related fatalities in 2020
Safe Work Australia has published the Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities Australia 2020 report, which provides the latest detailed national statistics on all workers and bystanders fatally injured at work. While the
WAHA Release New Industry Code
The Working at Height Association is pleased to announce that a new Industry Code has been released! The Industry Code for Fixed Platforms, Walkways, Stairways and Ladders for Working at
Using data to make workplaces safer
Understanding the causes of injury and the industries most affected can help reduce work-related fatalities, injuries and disease. Work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses have a devastating impact on workers, their
Updated Guidance Material: Managing the risks of working in heat
Working in heat can be hazardous and is a common cause of harm among Australian workers. Some common risks of working in heat include heat-related illness, dehydration, burns and reduced concentration. Safe
Worker seriously injured in fall from roof
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WAHA Announcement: Richard Millar
Dear Members and Colleagues, It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Rick Millar on the 26th of August 2021, due to a recent battle with cancer.
New guidance available for inspecting and maintaining elevating work platforms
Did you know that elevating work platforms, or EWPs, need to be inspected at least annually? Safe Work Australia has published new guidance for inspecting and maintaining EWPs. Elevating work
What Solar Installers Must Know about Working at Heights
Working on roofs involves a high degree of risk, Safe Work NSW and other State and Federal Regulators have been concerned at the mounting number of injuries and death when
The Need for a Uniformed Approach to Training
The Working At Height Association of Australia (WAHA) forum, addresses working at height training requirements. IN EARLY MAY 2021, WAHA ORGANISED A forum bringing together principal trade associations, representatives from
Cranes and lifting equipment a serious injury risk
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland confirm there have been numerous incidents at Queensland workplaces this year involving cranes and lifting equipment that had the potential to cause serious injury to
Amendment to Australian Standard: 1891 Part 4
Updated Australian Standard: 1891 Part 4 An amendment has been released for ASNZS 1891.4 – Industrial Fall-arrest systems and Devices: Selection Use and Maintenance.The amendment is not to any content
WA Director Jailed for Workplace Fatality
What has happened? A small business owner has been sentenced to eight months imprisonment (plus an additional 18 months suspended), a $2,250 fine and his company fined $605,000 in the
SafetyCast – Working at Heights
Did you know that most people who are seriously injured or killed, fall from a height of four metres or less. Ladders, incomplete scaffolds, a roof edge or falling through
Understanding our Duty of Care and Legal Responsibilities
Article by Deborah Chick Statistically, falls from heights remain one of the biggest causes of death, disability and injury in workplaces in Australia. Any time there is a risk of
SafeWork NSW – Rooftop Solar Installation
Minister for Better Regulation, Kevin Anderson, has announced (statement here) that SafeWork NSW inspectors are targeting rooftop solar panel installation, as part of our ongoing focus on reducing fatalities and
Those Working at Height need to be Properly Trained
Article by Richard Millarfor Sourceable The Australian workforce has many trades and occupations that require workers to use their skills in their chosen occupation. Such workers are expected to be trained
Who can perform Working at Heights Equipment Inspections?
Article by Deborah Chick The topic of performing Equipment Inspections on working at heights PPE and equipment is one of the most widely discussed within industry, and yet it comes
WorkSafe QLD – Codes of practice updated
Nearly all national safe work codes of practice have been reviewed and updated by the Queensland Government and other states and territories, to come into effect 1 March 2021. This
Does my Height Safety qualification make me a safe operator?
Article by Michael Biddle I am often asked by asset owners how they can assure that the contractors they engage for working at height on their building and structures are
At height: risk assessments, dos & don’ts and fall protection systems
By Richard Millar, Chief Executive Officer, Working at Height Association Working at height remains one of the greatest causes of fatalities and major injuries on Australian work sites, with many
Managing the Risk of Falls in the Workplace
Article by Richard Millar, CEO of the WAHA for Cranes&LIfting Magazine. The purpose of this article is to provide generic advice on inspection regimes for fall arrest equipment incorporating energy-absorbing
Inspecting Fall Arrest Systems and Harnesses
Article by WAHA CEO, Richard Millar for Sourceable. Employers and users of fall arrest equipment are responsible for maintenance of their fall arrest equipment. As can be seen in the
Know Your Fall Arrest Harnesses When Working at Height
By Richard Millar, Chief Executive Officer, Working at Height Association When working at height, what different types of safety harnesses exist? How do these operate? What mistakes are common when
WAHA Compliance Statement: ASNZS 5532 – Single Point Anchors for Harness Based Work at Height
Background There have been numerous requests for advice as to the status of AS/NZS 5532:2013, the Australian and New Zealand Standard for ‘Manufacturing requirements for single-point anchor device used for
Why an Industry Code for Height Safety Installations?
Ongoing accidents caused by workers falling from heights exemplify the need for an industry code for height safety installations. Here Working At Heights Association (WAHA) CEO Richard Millar outlines the
Getting Confined Spaces Back Into Harmony
Article By Gordon Cadzow, Secretary of WAHA – for National Safety Magazine. There still remains significant confusion around the obligations of PCBUs (employers) and operators in working in confined space
How Safe is Your Height Safety System?
Article by Gordon Cadzow, Secretary of the WAHA. Those designing buildings and structures have a responsibility to consider all aspects of safety over the life of the building or structure