Nearly 5000 people were seriously hurt and nine people died in machinery-related MRISC (maintenance, repair, installation, servicing and cleaning of machines) work in Victoria’s manufacturing industry in the past year.

The Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Peter Batchelor, recently initiated two government inquiries into the Yallourn mine collapse in November.

The Guide to the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment is a legislative instrument that Comcare may vary or revoke under section 28 of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act) — subject to the approval of the Minister. The guide is used in the assessment of entitlements under sections 24 to 27 of the SRC Act.

Victoria’s Accident Compensation Act will be updated to enhance support for injured workers. The Minister for Finance, WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission, Tim Holding said: “The Accident Compensation Act 1985 has been in operation for over 20 years and is the basis of a workers compensation scheme that has provided support to hundreds of thousands of injured workers. While the underlying principles of the Act remain sound, incremental changes over the years have made it unwieldy and unnecessarily complex.”

Victoria's Accident Compensation Act will be updated to enhance support for injured workers, announced the Minister for Finance, WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission, Tim Holding.

The Rudd government has placed a moratorium, effective immediately, on new applications from private sector corporations wanting to move to the Comcare workers compensation scheme.

The Jeminex Group, an Australian provider of industrial components to the resources sector, has recently acquired workwear clothing supply business Worksense for an undisclosed sum.

Gordon Institute of TAFE has been placed on a two-year good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to workplace health and safety charges.

The Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA) chair, John Watson, today announced the launch of a website for the national body at www.hwsa.org.au.

Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) has issued a warning to any tradesmen working near metering antenna mounting brackets.

The National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA) has presented Dan Smetana, chairman of Joyce Corporation, with the Ian Chisholm Award.

A County Court judge has convicted a major civil engineering company for the death of a worker, because it failed to take positive steps to ensure their safety at work.

WorkSafe has begun a campaign that targets the maintenance, repair, installation, service and cleaning (MRISC) of machinery and equipment.

A state funeral held today has honoured Bernie Banton, the face of anti-asbestos campaigns across Australia, after his death last Tuesday.

Workplace health and safety regulators across Australia and New Zealand are joining forces to target falls prevention in the construction industry, particularly small and medium-sized projects.