Charges laid over chemical stockpiles in Victoria

Waste management company Bradbury Industrial Services has been charged with breaching the Dangerous Goods Act for chemical stockpiles at a Campbellfield warehouse, and is facing seven offences under sections 31 (1) and section 45 of the Act. WorkSafe Victoria alleges that the company, which is now in liquidation, failed to take all reasonable precautions to prevent fire or explosion of dangerous goods at the site at 9–11 Brooklyn Court, Campbellfield.

It is alleged the company failed to reduce, so far as was reasonably practicable, the risk of dangerous goods leaking from intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) that were bulging, had loose top screw caps or were partially collapsed. The company also allegedly failed to notify WorkSafe Victoria of the presence of an excess quantity of dangerous goods at the site.

Having exceeded the regulated fire protection quantity of dangerous goods, the company then failed to seek the advice of the relevant emergency services authority regarding a fire protection system for the premises, and failed to have a written emergency plan. The company also breached regulations about placarding and keeping a prescribed manifest. The Environment Protection Authority and WorkSafe Victoria uncovered the stockpile during investigations into the storage of chemicals in Melbourne’s northern suburbs in January 2019. WorkSafe issued improvement notices requiring the site to be made safe, which were complied with. The matter is listed for a filing mention in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 26 February 2020.

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