Tag Archives: Australia

USA: Green jobs can be just as deadly

By Rory | Published: 11 August, 2011
A surge in alternative energy projects and related employment in the US is seeing inexperienced workers recruited to jobs they do not have the skills, training or supervision to do safely, US reports suggest. The US experience echoes that in Australia, where a government energy efficiency home insulation programme saw a spate of injuries and […]
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Really, would you kill a friend?

By Rory | Published: 23 September, 2010
An Australian construction firm has been fined after a teenage worker died working on a government-backed home insulation scheme. Arrow Property Maintenance Pty Ltd was fined $135,000 (£82,200) on charges relating to the death of 16-year-old insulation installer Reuben Barnes. Unions warned last year that the energy efficiency scheme, part of a government stimulus package […]
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Australian union bans nuke work

By Rory | Published: 3 June, 2010
An Australian union has banned its members from working in uranium mines, nuclear power stations or any other part of the nuclear fuel cycle. The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) says other unions have expressed strong support for the campaign against uranium, which it has labelled the “new asbestos” of the workplace. “We’re sick of hearing […]
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Belated action after Oz insulation deaths

By Rory | Published: 11 February, 2010
The Australian government has ordered a huge safety audit of every home that was fitted with foil insulation as part of a nationwide green homes plan. The insulation programme, which forms part of a government economic stimulus package, was suspended after it was linked to a number of worker electrocutions and heat exhaustion deaths. The Energy Efficient […]
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Insulation action as deaths go through the roof

By Rory | Published: 30 November, 2009
On 24 November, a 19-year-old died from heat stress, the day after working in the suffocating heat of a ceiling cavity in a home in Sydney, Australia. It was the first day on the job for the teenager, who was installing insulation. On 18 November, a 16-year-old worker died when he was electrocuted installing ceiling […]
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Older workers can do green jobs on site

By Rory | Published: 15 October, 2009
There should be quotas of “mature-age” workers introduced on major government building projects in recognition of the gruelling and job threatening effect physical work can have over a working lifetime, the Australian construction union CFMEU has said.  The union says good use could be made of older workers skills in “recycling and sustainability” and other less […]
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Australia: Union boss on green building board

By Rory | Published: 21 August, 2009
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has appointed a trade union heavyweight to its board in the hope of finding new opportunities for ‘green collar’ workers. Sharan Burrow, president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has been appointed to the board. Announcing the appointment, the GBCA’s Chair Tony Arnel said Ms Burrow would be […]
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Australia: National clean energy jobs campaign

By admin | Published: 14 August, 2009
Welfare, union, environment, and research organisations have launched a major national grassroots Clean Energy Jobs campaign aimed at ensuring negotiations strengthen climate action and clean energy policies. “Our campaign is now going local to put some clean energy forged steel into the backbone of negotiators from all parties,” said John Connor, campaign spokesperson. ACTU news release […]
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