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Issue No. 216 | 16 April 2004 |
Joining the Dots
Interview: Terror Australis Unions: Graeme Beard's Second Dig Industrial: The Hell of Troy Organising: Miners Strike Gold Economics: The Accepted Wisdom History: Vicious Old Lady International: Out of Sight, Out of Mind Review: War Unfogged Poetry: TAFE
Mum Burned By "Barbecue Stopper" Death Highlights Risky Business Roving Commission for Safety Reps
Postcard The Soapbox The Locker Room Politics
Tom�s A Furphy Rolling in Clover More War And Peace Invisible Workers
Labor Council of NSW |
News Death Highlights Risky Business
Bob Keys died at Consolidated Extrusions Ingleburn plant when witnesses say half a tonne of brass rods fell from overhead racking. Keys' daughter has demanded to know who will be held accountable for his death. The incident has sparked renewed union calls for industrial manslaughter legislation in NSW. "It's all too frequent that we hear of a death that is avoidable," says acting state secretary of the Australian Workers Union (AWU), Matt Thistlewaite. "It shouldn't take a serious injury or death for employers to meet their legal obligation to provide a safe workplace." Thistlewaite has slammed existing penalties for safety breaches as "insufficient" and has pledged to Keys' family and workmates that the AWU will be doing "everything that it can" to hold those responsible accountable. Workers Online understands that Consolidated Extrusions is currently being prosecuted over an incident where a worker had his hand caught in a machine. In a previous incident an explosion is a casting house at Consolidated Extrusions left employees "shaken". "It was quite amazing that no one was hurt or killed," says Thistlewaite of the casting house incident. A NSW government working party is currently looking into penalties for deaths and serious injury in the workplace. "Regardless of what any working party says, the Labor Council and NSW unions want a law in place that adequately deals with these issues," says Thistlewaite, who accused the government of being out of step with community expectations. "If you do the wrong thing and drink and drive and that causes a death then you face a gaol sentence. There have been fewer fatalities on roads because of stiffer penalties, but when it came to dealing with business the Government doesn't seem to have the same strength." Coronial investigations into Keys' death are continuing.
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