Case studies

Dindas Australia - Onsite traffic management in action

Practical information about the changes Dindas made to their traffic management to make their depots safer in all locations.

Onsite gym and healthy lifestyle program - Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd

The Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL), which manages the Port of Brisbane under a 99 year lease from the Queensland Government, has undergone substantial organisational change in recent years. As part of due diligence for the leasing of the port, the new owners identified that workplace health and safety improvements were a priority given the high incidence of 33 injuries recorded in 2010–11.

Russell Transport: Fighting the flu

Drivers at Russell Transport often work independently, constantly moving in and out of offices and interacting with people from all walks of life at multiple workplaces and delivery destinations.

Company slashes workers’ comp claim costs

Airline handling service provider Oceania Aviation has cut its workers’ compensation claim costs by 47 percent in just two years thanks to a major safety overhaul which was embarked upon when its premium costs came close to double the industry average.

Russell Transport: Mental health initiative

The long hours that drivers spend on the road by themselves, the remote locations they travel to and the time spent away from family, can sometimes lead to poor relationships, feelings of isolation, stress and depression. The management team at Russell Transport felt it was important to work with staff to manage these risk factors.

Evidence and symptoms must support damages claim

Bawden v Proserprine Cooperative Sugar Milling Association Ltd 9 April 2015 [QDC 205]. This case highlights that in the case of a psychiatric injury, that evidence and symptoms must support the damages claim.

Industry solutions for managing the risks of workers being hit or crushed by heavy vehicles and trailers

One Queensland business implemented an engineering solution to address the risks associated with working under heavy vehicles. The business purchased a heavy-duty four-post hydraulic truck lift.

Bus Queensland: Linking with community organisations – a low cost health and wellbeing program

Bus Queensland employs approximately 400 people at four depots and provides urban, school and charter bus services to the Park Ridge, Ipswich, Laidley and Toowoomba districts.

Truck Driver Awarded Damages for Faulty Truck Seat

The Plaintiff was a 38 year old truck driver who alleged he sustained a lower back disc protrusion driving a truck with a faulty seat over a period of months.

Future economic loss and paid services past retirement age

Cameron v Foster & Lahey T/AS GF Hills Removals & Mini Storage, 29 September 2011. This case study highlights how a Court may rule future economic loss allowances to workers past the age of retirement and make allowances for future paid services that were provided gratuitously by family members.

A foreseeable risk

Schmidt v S J Sanders Pty Ltd, 22 June 2012. This case highlights the need that even experienced truck drivers need to be specifically trained in egress and access of trucks due to the foreseeable risk of slipping off a truck step.

Initial reporting of injury of vital importance

Apolloni v Traffic Technologies Management Division Pty Ltd, 20 March 2012. This case clearly demonstrates the value of contemporaneous recording of injury details in diary notes, incident reports and applications for compensation. In this case the importance of the recording was as to the time of the injury but this could equally apply to the description of the cause of the injury.