About: QPSU Workplace Health & Safety Committee
Every worker has the right to a safe and healthy work environment.
QPSU members are campaigning for better workplace health and safety across all of Queensland’s public sector.
The QPSU Workplace Health and Safety Committee is an elected group of union delegates that co-ordinates across the union about health and safety-related issues.
To contact the QPSU office on matters relating to workplace health and safety, you can email healthandsafety@qpsu.org.au.
The elected members of the committee are:
- Ole Andersen
- Paul Fletcher (Committee President)
- Annalisse McHugh
- Simon Ross
- Doug Thomas
- Angela Walsh
QPSU President Vivienne Doogan and General Secretary Alex Scott are both ex officio members of the Committee.
This page will contain resources and links for a variety of Workplace Health and Safety topics.
You can visit the website for Workplace Health and Safety Queensland here
and
the national ACTU Workplace Health and Safety resources page here.
Copy of Electrical Safety Outlook e-Alert
from http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/electricalsafety/
Electrical fatality of Insulation installer
The Electrical Safety Office and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland are investigating the fatality of an insulation installer on 14 October 2009.
A second person assisting with the work received an electric shock and burns.
While an investigation is underway, it appears that a staple, used to fix foil insulation in the roof space of a home, may have pierced an electric cable which energised the foil.
Insulation installers are warned of the dangers associated with installing conductive foil type insulation near electrical equipment including cables, light fittings and ceiling fans etc. Installed incorrectly this could cause the insulation to become energised, not only posing an electrical risk to the installer but also to others.
A safe system of work should be used to manage such risks. This system must include measures to avoid damaging electrical equipment/cables when installing conductive material like aluminium insulation products.
The Electrical Safety Act requires an employer or self employed person to conduct their business in a way that is electrically safe. This is also relevant to non-electrical work such as installing insulation material.
While such events may not always result in death, they can still have a serious impact on your health, including burns, damage to the nervous system, brain, sensory/motor organs, heart and lungs. A shock can also throw you off balance resulting in fall injuries. The prospect of such injuries occurring in a roof space can make rescue difficult resulting in a delay in treatment.
The Electrical Safety Office has also warned installers not to underestimate other dangers involved, such as the increased fire risk associated with incorrectly installing insulation around lighting fixtures.
Anyone entering a roof space should conduct a risk assessment to determine possible hazards prior to starting work.
Information on risk assessments is available at www.deir.qld.gov.au.
Barry Dieckmann
Acting Executive Director
Electrical Safety Office
15 October 2009
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