Comcare recently accepted a court enforceable undertaking from Transpacific Industries relating to three separate workplace incidents in which employees were injured.
The incidents occurred at Transpacific Industries workplaces in Mandurah Western Australia, the Olympic Dam site in South Australia, and Airport West in Melbourne.
Each incident was found by Comcare to be caused, in part, by failures from Transpacific Industries to appropriately risk assess the tasks being undertaken at the time of the incidents, and to provide appropriate information, instruction, supervision and training to its employees to safely undertake the tasks they had been assigned.
The enforceable undertaking targets every level of the Transpacific Industries hierarchy and requires the company to make extensive improvements to its work health and safety systems.
It is directed at empowering all Transpacific Industries employees to be able to identify and control risks and hazards in the workplace, according to Comcare.
The undertaking displayed a commitment from TPI to invest in risk assessment and training, while recognising that mistakes have been made, said Comcare work health and safety general manager Neil Quarmby.
“All three of these incidents were preventable,” he said, “Employers who get the safety message and invest in building safety systems, stop workers getting harmed and improve their business productivity.”
The enforceable undertaking will operate until the end of 2013 when, if Comcare is satisfied Transpacific Industries have complied with its undertakings, Comcare will withdraw its Federal Court proceedings against the company.
Comcare will seek the Court’s approval for an adjournment of the proceedings in the meantime.