Articles and insights
Lessons, guidance and practical observations about WHS, SWMS, pre-starts, prosecutions, audits and safer systems of work.
Prosecution Lessons
6 November 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A worker was left paraplegic after a tree branch struck the ladder he was standing on. WorkSafe Victoria says the employer failed to arrange a safe system for the task, including suitable expertise, access equipment and a SWMS.
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Pre-start Checks
1 November 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A pre-start check is useful when it catches a problem and leads to action. Check the equipment, the work area and whether the planned task is still safe to do.
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SWMS and Safety Documentation
1 November 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A safety poster cannot plan a job, spot a changing hazard or make a worker feel safe to speak up. In landscaping, real safety culture shows in how managers and crews plan manual tasks, use equipment and follow through when someone raises a concern.
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Prosecution Lessons
29 October 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A Queensland company was fined $80,000 after shed construction near an active overhead powerline exposed workers to serious electrical risk. The later injury to a roofer highlights why managers must verify isolation and plan work around powerlines.
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Prosecution Lessons
29 October 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A worker was seriously injured clearing a recurring pallet jam on a live conveyor. The court’s decision also considered earlier safety convictions, prior warnings about the same task and the scale of the national operation.
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Prosecution Lessons
25 October 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A Queensland employer was fined $375,000 after a worker died and another was injured while loading cattle onto a double-deck trailer. The regulator’s summary highlights failures in trailer inspections, safe work procedures and worker training.
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Prosecution Lessons
16 October 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A Queensland company was fined $90,000 after a child fell from an indoor climbing wall. The case highlights practical checks for supervision, access controls and equipment-use instructions.
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Prosecution Lessons
15 October 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A routine trailer move from the road to a driveway ended in the death of an 18-year-old worker. The court imposed $80,000 in fines after finding the defendant failed to attach, or ensure attachment of, the trailer’s safety chains.
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WHS Systems
13 October 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
Australia recorded 222 traumatic workplace deaths in 2025, with older workers, remote areas, transport incidents and falling objects among the key concerns. Serious claims also carry significant costs, particularly for mental health and musculoskeletal conditions.
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Prosecution Lessons
12 October 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A Queensland horse-riding business faced court orders after a young volunteer was seriously injured when an unsupervised horse became spooked. The case highlights the need to assess foreseeable fall risks and put effective controls in place.
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Prosecution Lessons
9 October 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A company that connected subcontractors with small jobs was fined $90,000 after a contractor fell 6.74 metres through a skylight. The case highlights the need to assess work, verify competency and put effective fall controls in place.
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WHS Systems
1 October 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A near miss is easy to dismiss because nobody was hurt. But it may be the clearest warning your business gets that something is not working. Reporting and acting on near misses gives you an opportunity to fix problems before the next incident has a very different outcome.
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Prosecution Lessons
25 September 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A restoration company was fined $80,000 after a worker fell 3.2 metres from a mezzanine. The case highlights the need to assess fall risks, arrange edge protection and stop work until controls are in place.
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Prosecution Lessons
25 September 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A Queensland pool operator was fined $575,000 after a court found that supervision arrangements did not adequately manage foreseeable drowning risks. The decision is subject to appeal.
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Prosecution Lessons
25 September 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A Queensland truck dealership employer was fined $400,000 after a worker died in an explosion during drum de-rimming work. The prosecution highlights the need for formal risk assessments, safe work procedures, chemical controls, training and supervision.
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Prosecution Lessons
24 September 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A New South Wales forklift injury prosecution resulted in a $240,000 fine for a company, a $9,600 fine for its director and a publicity order. The matter highlights the need to manage interactions between pedestrians and mobile plant.
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Prosecution Lessons
23 September 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A Queensland construction company was fined $400,000 after a 16-year-old volunteer worker was fatally run over by an unmanned road roller. The case highlights the need for authorisation, training, plant safeguards and active supervision.
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WHS Systems
1 September 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
Poor workplace safety can cost far more than a fine or workers' compensation claim. Injuries can disrupt operations, damage equipment, increase insurance costs, consume management time and affect your ability to retain good workers. For small and medium businesses, preventing incidents can also make sound financial sense
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Prosecution Lessons
14 August 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A visit or investigation by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland can be confronting, particularly after a serious incident. Understanding what inspectors can do, what they may ask for, and how your business should respond can make the process more manageable and help ensure important evidence and information are properly preserved.
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WHS Systems
16 July 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
General practices may not look like high-risk workplaces, but they face a wide range of workplace health and safety challenges. From aggressive behaviour at reception to emergency planning and staff wellbeing, practical WHS systems help protect your team, your patients and your practice.
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Safety Partner Program
1 July 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
Ongoing, practical WHS advice can help small and growing businesses improve their safety documents and systems without building a full internal safety department.
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Leadership
1 July 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
Effective supervisors are the foundation of a safe workplace. Learn how strong frontline leadership improves hazard identification, worker engagement, compliance and incident prevention while creating a positive safety culture.
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WHS Systems
29 June 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
Many businesses mistake compliance for safety, but they are not the same thing. Learn why meeting minimum requirements doesn't always reduce risk, and how practical leadership and everyday actions create genuinely safer workplaces.
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WHS Systems
27 June 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
Many small businesses assume they need a dedicated safety professional before they can build an effective WHS system. In reality, a practical safety system can be developed step by step using simple processes, good leadership and consistent everyday habits.
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WHS Systems
15 June 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
Many businesses have a safety system that looks impressive on paper but has little impact on daily work. Learn five practical warning signs that your WHS system may exist only for auditors, and discover practical steps to build a system that genuinely protects your workers.
Read article SWMS and Safety Documentation
13 June 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is only effective if it influences how work is carried out. Discover why many SWMS fail to reduce risk and learn practical ways to turn safety documentation into safer work practices.
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WHS Systems
30 May 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
Could your workplace pass an inspection today? Use this practical checklist to identify weaknesses in your WHS systems before regulators do.
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SWMS and Safety Documentation
30 May 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
Many businesses have SWMS documents. Far fewer can demonstrate that workers actually follow them. Discover why implementation matters more than paperwork.
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Prosecution Lessons
30 May 2026 · Practical Safety Advisory
A review of workplace prosecutions across Australia reveals the same safety failures appearing time and again. Learn the five most common mistakes and how to avoid becoming the next prosecution case study.
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