Safety concerns in booming Australian mining industry

23/08/2012 12:33:21 p.m.

David woode wrote:

I like to work head in any Companny ,

21/08/2012 1:05:21 a.m.

John wrote:

Mrs Callaghans comments are pathetic to say the least .To sensationalise and target kiwis behaviour anymore than others is a bit rich. To speak at a conference in Aussie over such matters I hope the Aussies didn't pay to much to listen to that sensationalism .Of course she is free to make a comment . Accidents will always happen in dangerous and risky industry.High quality injury prevention training will minimise accidents but behavioural training by itself will not stop accident either.The belief that 99% of accidents can be avoided in the workplace is also just a belief because the other 1% is an act of God and some of us don't know about that either!The fact of the matter is that accidents will always happen in the workplace no matter what comments people say about such things..The point is that if company does all the right things ,like plan and structure there business in such away that safety is 1st priority "no matter what ""even before production"Should I say?Then we would probably see some better stats -less disasters etc but the fact of the matter is that production -time lines -money -loyaly bonuses etc are often first proirty and that's how big business mostly work -It's a fine line . Kiwis working in Aussie are just as vulnerable as other workers , if the management commitment looses its focus it's the same old problem ,the risk goes up and men and women get hurt.The old saying is - is it the carrot or the stick that works in safety(that's behaviour) It depends who is holding the carrot !! Osh and Aussie Workplace H&S say it's the stick(fines) That's the way to get the message through - even that still has not worked -I suggest a change of miindset -train staff the 8 causes of accidents 1day-1month-1year and pay a bonus as well (the carrot) would that help ? I'm sure it would go a long way!! That would be management commitment It could work on both sides of the Tasman Really has Mrs Callaghan comments really got anything to do with safety ? Even safety experts would beg to to differ ! Sincerely John People will go home after work

20/08/2012 12:37:26 a.m.

Duncan wrote:

I take exception to Mrs Callaghans comments, she is suggesting that by Australian mining companies hiring FIFO workers from NZ that they raise their chances of an incident. I've been FIFO to Aussie for 7 years and work alongside a lot of nationalities, all who come to work young and keen, including Aussies. Every place I've worked over there, Brisbane port, Karratha, Port Hedland, Mackay, I've always been inducted and given safety instructions along with all others, so esentially everyone is at the same level of safety. To suggest that Kiwi's lower the safety is pathetic, generally the Kiwis' working over there are of a fairly high caliber, as most Kiwi workers generally are. Of the 168 serious injuries, how many were deliberately attributed to Kiwi workers? Would this be the beginning of stopping the slid of tradesmen leaving for better money and conditions in Australia rather than encourage them to stay, perhaps better money might be a start, I'd suggest a lot of overseas workers would return for a bit more money. Sincerely Duncan