Safety audit reveals manufacturing and spray-painting businesses failing to meet health and safety duties

All eleven businesses targeted during recent spray-painting inspections by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland were found to be breaching their safety obligations.

The site visits from WHSQ inspectors revealed not one business audited was fully compliant with its health and safety duties, with 91 statutory compliance notices issued.

WHSQ conducted proactive audits focusing on workplaces engaged in manufacturing and spray-painting activities.

The initiative aimed to ensure compliance with safety standards and promote a culture of responsibility among businesses, targeting workplaces in Ipswich, Toowoomba, Logan, Mt Gravatt, and Robina.

The inspections were conducted with a focus on key areas relating to manufacturing and spray-painting activities.

Peter McKay, Head of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, emphasised the importance of the proactive measures.

"Proactive compliance audits are key to helping drive down fatalities, injuries and illness across all industries,” Mr McKay said.

“There’s no excuse for not taking appropriate safety measures to reduce risks to workers and others.

“By engaging with employers and workers and taking action when we see something that’s putting people at risk of harm, awful incidents are avoided.”

“The Manufacturing sector is one of the highest risk industries for recording workplace fatalities and serious incidents in Queensland.

“WHSQ will continue to monitor this sector with ongoing proactive compliance activities to assist in promoting increased levels of compliance.”

Inspectors issued 70 improvement notices and called out 17 safety issues that were fixed on the spot, with the remaining enforcement action taken for more serious issues attracting an on the spot fine, or prohibiting the use of unsafe equipment.

The workplaces visited during the audits are now undergoing follow-up compliance checks to address any identified issues and ensure the swift implementation of necessary safety measures.

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Media contact: 0478 33 22 00 or oirmedia@oir.qld.gov.au.