Case studies | WorkSafe.qld.gov.au

All case studies

Auto guided vehicles case study: Carlton United Breweries

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland visited Carlton United Breweries (CUB) to learn more about auto guided vehicles (AGV) at the Yatala facility and how they are improving onsite traffic management (OSTM). CUB employs more than 1,700 people at six Australian breweries and various offices around Australia.

8 September 2022
Borthwicks – reducing the risks of Q fever to visitors at their meat processing plant

Thomas Borthwick & Sons (Borthwicks) conducted risk assessments at their meat processing plant to understand Q fever risks to site visitors, such as prospective employees, contractors and representatives.

8 March 2022
Banana labourer’s damage reduced for contributory negligence, pre-existing conditions and sporadic work history

Mr Longbottom was a labourer who was 35 years old at trial. He alleged he sustained right hip, right shoulder and secondary psychological injuries when the top of the banana tree (and the bunch of bananas) being harvested fell on the plaintiff.

12 October 2021
Baggage handler unsuccessful in claiming negligence for requirement “repetitively” step up and down from a curb

The Plaintiff alleged that on 29 February 2016, he was required to repetitively step up and down from a standard painted curb in order to transport arriving FIFO workers’ bags from his trailer onto a footpath.

18 August 2021
Worker unsuccessfully appeals court's initial finding that she was not bullied at work

Robertson v State of Queensland, 7 May 2021. The Court of Appeal has dismissed a worker's appeal against the District Court of Queensland's judgement that she was not bullied during her time as a nurse.

15 June 2021
Causation, quantum

Mr Tyndall was a right handed coal miner who was 50 years old at trial. He alleged he sustained a vibration induced white finger syndrome on his left ring finger as a result of driving two specific types of loaders over a period of time between 1 September 2015 to 1 May 2016.

11 June 2021
No damages for highly unusual work event

The plaintiff was a 25-year-old hospitality worker at the Daydream Island Resort. He suffered unusual injuries in highly unusual circumstances.

2 June 2021
Employers need to consider the health and safety of those at work outside of normal hours

In the recent judgement of Walker v Greenmountain Food Processing Pty Ltd [2020] QSC 329, the Supreme Court of Queensland found an employer liable for the loss and damage suffered by a worker who sustained serious injuries after falling through a roof at dusk while investigating an issue with a boiler.

2 March 2021
Alleged injury from exposure to common cleaning agent

The Plaintiff was a 57-year-old part-time aged care worker. She alleges she suffered a chemical sensitivity injury and a consequent psychiatric injury as a result of exposure to a sanitising chemical “D4” in the course of her employment.

18 February 2021
Employer not liable to Fire Fighter for exposure to traumatic scene

The plaintiff was a Fire Fighter who was on shift on 24 August 2011, when a tragic house fire occurred.

11 February 2021
Bullying allegations unproven against employer

Judge Barlow found that there were two occasions where a Plaintiff might be said to have been bullied by other staff but that the Plaintiff ultimately failed in her claim against the Defendants.

16 October 2020
Damages awarded to librarian for back injury.

The Plaintiff was a librarian who injured her back when upturning a book return box to retrieve a book that had slipped under the base.

12 June 2020