From: Paul DoverDate: May 6, 2009 11:34:32 PM EDT (CA) Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] CalOSHA & UCLA Dear all, I suppose I am a little stunned with this as in Victoria, Australia we had instigated in 2005 the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. A link with an overview can be found here: http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/resources/file/ebd0d6435e87d5c/over view_ohs_worksafe.pdf And for those of you with a legal bent the whole Act can be found here: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/ohasa2004273/ In a nutshell, what scares the bejesus out of employers, is the extent of fines: The maximum penalty for a breach of general duties will be increased to $920,250 for corporations and $184,050 for individuals. With the added note that INDIVIDUALS are responsible too. Even to the extent that someone who flaunts safety procedures (e.g. the painter who fell off a roof as he was not wearing a harness, even though it was provided and company policy) can be individually prosecuted. In that particular case, as well as getting a broken hip, he was fined $10,000! In the UCLA incident the lab head would be looking at a hefty personal fine, also the possibility of jail time. As for the Foster=92s incident, here is the link to that: http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/WorkSafe/SiteTools/News/Fos ters+gets+record+fine+for+fatal+safety+breaches Stay safe everyone! Cheers, Paul ____________________________________________ Paul Dover Resources Manager Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Action Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences Monash University (Parkville Campus) 381 Royal Parade, Parkville Victoria, 3052. Australia Phone: +61 3 9903 9551 Fax: +61 3 9903 9143
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