Factory worker 'sacked' after complaining about heat wave working conditions   :(

    Deanna Williams
    December 18, 2015.

Yahoo News

FIRST ON 7: A factory worker has allegedly been sacked after complaining about his working conditions during South Australia's extreme heat.

The company denies the claims, which, if true, would be a South Australian first.

The timber packer, Trent Till, says he is not afraid of hard work but was shocked to hear what his boss had to say when he complained about the conditions on the factory floor.



"I was told basically we signed up to work in a sweat shop and if we didn't like it we could resign," he said.   :o

Mr Till says he was sacked after complaining about the searing heat.



"I was called into a meeting concerning my probation period, which had ended, and told my employment would be terminated," he said.

CFMEU SA district secretary Dave Kirner said: "It's one of the first times we've caught someone red-handed for sacking someone for complaining about the hot temperatures."


Mr Till's termination was reported to SafeWork SA which sent an officer to inspect the premises this afternoon.

The union says it is illegal to take action against an employee for raising health and safety issues, and that many workers are reluctant to rock the boat for fear of losing their jobs.

But the company Mr Till worked for disputes his claim.

"[It was] certainly nothing to do with him bringing up safety concerns," operations minister Paul Wood said.

Apprentice collapses on the job in heat wave

The sacking comes as 17-year-old apprentice Travis Mellor remains in a coma after being struck down by the heat while working on a construction site.   :(

"It's not until someone dies or is seriously injured that everyone says we should do something about it," Mr Kirner said.

This afternoon a 20-year-old contract landscaper was admitted to hospital, also suffering heat stress.

Authorities say 62 people have presented to hospital and 21 were admitted in the 24 hours from 8am yesterday.

I hope every employer who has flouted the law in this way is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

I bet the manager who sacked him was sitting in an air conditioned room.

Quote:

But the company Mr Till worked for disputes his claim. "[It was] certainly nothing to do with him bringing up safety concerns," operations minister Paul Wood said.

Many managers and executives think that it is ok to sack employees for one reason but claim it is something else.

Many of them seem to see no problem in making up the reason in a flexible manner. I recently had a discussion with a HR executive who was saying that her company had just sacked someone and described the circumstances. It was immediately apparent that the person had denied what she had been accused of and that their was no genuine indication that they had got the right person.

The HR person was indignant that I thought it wasn't the correct thing to do, she had followed the process correctly and to her that meant that they could get away with it even though they had very likely dismissed the wrong person. She had absolutely no ethical concern.

Bobby. wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2016 at 2:18pm:

I bet the manager who sacked him was sitting in an air conditioned room.

After 18 holes of golf and a nice 2 hour Lunch paid for by the company.

Dnarever wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 7:21am:

Bobby. wrote on Jan 2nd, 2016 at 2:18pm: I bet the manager who sacked him was sitting in an air conditioned room. After 18 holes of golf and a nice 2 hour Lunch paid for by the company.

Great idea why not ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Bobby. wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2016 at 2:18pm:

I bet the manager who sacked him was sitting in an air conditioned room.

I bet the full story hasn't been told.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 8:37am:

Bobby. wrote on Jan 2nd, 2016 at 2:18pm: I bet the manager who sacked him was sitting in an air conditioned room. I bet the full story hasn't been told.

Only the crooked one's side of the story  ;) ;) ;)

Bam wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2016 at 2:06pm:

I hope every employer who has flouted the law in this way is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Unfortunately they get away with it 98% of the time and even when caught out they barely get a slap on the wrist.

In this case if it goes to fair work and the employee wins he will be lucky to be awarded 2 weeks pay.

With the current unfair dismissal laws it is almost worth the employers while to just ignore it do whatever they like and just cop the very occasional slap with a feather when caught out.

Dnarever wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 7:21am:

Bobby. wrote on Jan 2nd, 2016 at 2:18pm: I bet the manager who sacked him was sitting in an air conditioned room. After 18 holes of golf and a nice 2 hour Lunch paid for by the company.

It would have been too hot to play golf -
he would have stayed in air conditioned comfort.

It's evil to put people in a sweat shop -
not only does it risk the lives of the people
they can have accidents from losing concentration.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 8:37am:

Bobby. wrote on Jan 2nd, 2016 at 2:18pm: I bet the manager who sacked him was sitting in an air conditioned room. I bet the full story hasn't been told.

I bet the full story can't be told.

Dnarever wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 8:41am:

Bam wrote on Jan 2nd, 2016 at 2:06pm: I hope every employer who has flouted the law in this way is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Unfortunately they get away with it 98% of the time and even when caught out they barely get a slap on the wrist. In this case if it goes to fair work and the employee wins he will be lucky to be awarded 2 weeks pay. With the current unfair dismissal laws it is almost worth the employers while to just ignore it do whatever they like and just cop the very occasional slap with a feather when caught out.

The worksite has been visited by inspectors from SafeWork SA. A good course of action would be to redlist this employer and send out SafeWork inspectors again the next time the weather is hot. Could be a good payday for the SA government.

Dnarever wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 8:41am:

Bam wrote on Jan 2nd, 2016 at 2:06pm: I hope every employer who has flouted the law in this way is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Unfortunately they get away with it 98% of the time and even when caught out they barely get a slap on the wrist. In this case if it goes to fair work and the employee wins he will be lucky to be awarded 2 weeks pay. With the current unfair dismissal laws it is almost worth the employers while to just ignore it do whatever they like and just cop the very occasional slap with a feather when caught out.

you apparently dont read all crooks threads.... where companies are find quite a large amount and rightly so...

we are long past the time when people were discarded at will....

if this story is true.. I do not for one moment think it is the way most workers are treated in this country...

I like to believe we have high standards and most adhere to them...

working in extreme heat can cause no end of problems...

this company needs to be made aware of that... >:( >:( >:(and made sure it never happens again...

I think most companies of any size would be well aware of their OH&S responsibilities in this regard. Not sure about some of the small cowboy run outfits though.

Saul Goodman wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 9:06am:

I think most companies of any size would be well aware of their OH&S responsibilities in this regard. Not sure about some of the small cowboy run outfits though.

Large companies are by far the worst.

Dnarever wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 9:14am:

Saul Goodman wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 9:06am: I think most companies of any size would be well aware of their OH&S responsibilities in this regard. Not sure about some of the small cowboy run outfits though. Large companies are by far the worst.

The large companies I have had involvement with have all had  OH&S reps and meetings etc, so there was an avenue to raise issues and I couldn't see them allowing people to work in extreme temperatures if there was a simple solution like fans etc. Not sure about how companies handle staff working outside in very hot weather though apart from ensuring they remain hydrated, providing hats etc, as jobs like builders are often all outdoors

Saul Goodman wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 9:37am:

Dnarever wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 9:14am: Saul Goodman wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 9:06am: I think most companies of any size would be well aware of their OH&S responsibilities in this regard. Not sure about some of the small cowboy run outfits though. Large companies are by far the worst. The large companies I have had involvement with have all had  OH&S reps and meetings etc, so there was an avenue to raise issues and I couldn't see them allowing people to work in extreme temperatures if there was a simple solution like fans etc. Not sure about how companies handle staff working outside in very hot weather though apart from ensuring they remain hydrated, providing hats etc, as jobs like builders are often all outdoors

OHS isn't all it is cracked up to be, I would not recommend relying on that path for workplace protection and safety. It can be fairly good in some areas but seldom provides overall coverage.

Dnarever wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 9:52am:

Saul Goodman wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 9:37am: Dnarever wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 9:14am: Saul Goodman wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 9:06am: I think most companies of any size would be well aware of their OH&S responsibilities in this regard. Not sure about some of the small cowboy run outfits though. Large companies are by far the worst. The large companies I have had involvement with have all had  OH&S reps and meetings etc, so there was an avenue to raise issues and I couldn't see them allowing people to work in extreme temperatures if there was a simple solution like fans etc. Not sure about how companies handle staff working outside in very hot weather though apart from ensuring they remain hydrated, providing hats etc, as jobs like builders are often all outdoors OHS isn't all it is cracked up to be, I would not recommend relying on that path for workplace protection and safety. It can be fairly good in some areas but seldom provides overall coverage.

companies have to pay HUGE AMOUNTS for workers comp insurance..

with every accident that increases....its isnt all one sided....

looking at this case... it seems to me this chap should have asked his fellow workers IS THIS NORMAL to work under these conditions...

because if thats the case.... then surely you have to say this happens because of the workers......not because of the management......


I thought it was against the LAWS/RULES..for anyone to work when the tempo gets to a certain level...

for the simple reason of health......

its almost impossible to aircond a outside work place isnt it?..

Saul Goodman wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 9:06am:

I think most companies of any size would be well aware of their OH&S responsibilities in this regard. Not sure about some of the small cowboy run outfits though.

They're all aware of their responsibilities.

Acting on them, however, is a different thing.

The larger companies are often the worst.

cods wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 10:23am:

companies have to pay HUGE AMOUNTS for workers comp insurance.. with every accident that increases....its isnt all one sided.... looking at this case... it seems to me this chap should have asked his fellow workers IS THIS NORMAL to work under these conditions... because if thats the case.... then surely you have to say this happens because of the workers......not because of the management...... I thought it was against the LAWS/RULES..for anyone to work when the tempo gets to a certain level...

It is ... but something being illegal isn't enough to stop some people.

cods wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 10:23am:

I thought it was against the LAWS/RULES..for anyone to work when the tempo gets to a certain level...

There's no specific number.

Employers, by law, have to provide a safe work place, free from hazards.

Extreme temperature is a hazard.

Laws are broken every day, though.

Bam wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 10:40am:

cods wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:23am: companies have to pay HUGE AMOUNTS for workers comp insurance.. with every accident that increases....its isnt all one sided.... looking at this case... it seems to me this chap should have asked his fellow workers IS THIS NORMAL to work under these conditions... because if thats the case.... then surely you have to say this happens because of the workers......not because of the management...... I thought it was against the LAWS/RULES..for anyone to work when the tempo gets to a certain level... It is ... but something being illegal isn't enough to stop some people.

You mean like UNION BOSSES >:( :( :o >:(

aussie100percent wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 10:44am:

Bam wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:40am: cods wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:23am: companies have to pay HUGE AMOUNTS for workers comp insurance.. with every accident that increases....its isnt all one sided.... looking at this case... it seems to me this chap should have asked his fellow workers IS THIS NORMAL to work under these conditions... because if thats the case.... then surely you have to say this happens because of the workers......not because of the management...... I thought it was against the LAWS/RULES..for anyone to work when the tempo gets to a certain level... It is ... but something being illegal isn't enough to stop some people. You mean like UNION BOSSES >:( :( :o >:(

Like everyone.

People from all walks of life break the law.

Union bosses, Liberal Party members, housewives, factory workers, police officers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, pilots, gardeners, plumbers, priests, etc.

You seem to have a very limited understanding of how the world works.

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 10:54am:

aussie100percent wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:44am: Bam wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:40am: cods wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:23am: companies have to pay HUGE AMOUNTS for workers comp insurance.. with every accident that increases....its isnt all one sided.... looking at this case... it seems to me this chap should have asked his fellow workers IS THIS NORMAL to work under these conditions... because if thats the case.... then surely you have to say this happens because of the workers......not because of the management...... I thought it was against the LAWS/RULES..for anyone to work when the tempo gets to a certain level... It is ... but something being illegal isn't enough to stop some people. You mean like UNION BOSSES >:( :( :o >:( Like everyone. People from all walks of life break the law. Union bosses, Liberal Party members, housewives, factory workers, police officers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, pilots, gardeners, plumbers, priests, etc. You seem to have a very limited understanding of how the world works.

Is that right!  :D :D :D

Good Old CFMEU...Looking after the workers



35° C, That’s Enough - CFMEU hot weather policy

CFMEU EBAs state that workers will stop work and leave site when the temperature reaches 35 degrees.

Download OHS alert

The temperature is measured at the nearest Bureau of Meteorology weather station to the work site. For info see bom.gov.au/vic/observations/melbourne.shtml

Take Action

OHS reps should not wait until the temperature reaches 35° to act. Clause 35.9.2 of the EBA calls on reps to consult with management when the temperature is expected to reach 35° .

The agreement also states: At temperatures below 35°C workers are to be relocated out of direct sunlight where the work environment creates a serious risk to their health and safety.

Matters for consideration include:

    Radiant heat from particular surfaces like bondeck, roofing etc.
    Sun glare
    The type of work being performed.

Employers must provide

    Sun screen
    Cool clear drinking water
    Air-conditioned site sheds
    Hard hat brims
    Sunglasses where required

Healthy Work Tips for Hot Weather

    Drink 100-200ml of water at regular intervals, do not allow yourself to become thirsty
    Avoid drinking coffee, tea, alcohol and caffeinated soft drinks
    Wear light coloured, loose clothing made of natural fibres wherever possible
    Take regular breaks in a cool place.
    Monitor your physical condition and that of your co-workers.


Signs and symptoms of heat illness include feeling sick, nauseous, dizzy or weak. Clumsiness, collapse and convulsions can also be the result of heat illness. Employees with these signs or symptoms need to seek immediate medical attention.

(Information from Worksafe Victoria and WA)

aussie100percent wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 10:56am:

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:54am: aussie100percent wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:44am: Bam wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:40am: cods wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:23am: companies have to pay HUGE AMOUNTS for workers comp insurance.. with every accident that increases....its isnt all one sided.... looking at this case... it seems to me this chap should have asked his fellow workers IS THIS NORMAL to work under these conditions... because if thats the case.... then surely you have to say this happens because of the workers......not because of the management...... I thought it was against the LAWS/RULES..for anyone to work when the tempo gets to a certain level... It is ... but something being illegal isn't enough to stop some people. You mean like UNION BOSSES >:( :( :o >:( Like everyone. People from all walks of life break the law. Union bosses, Liberal Party members, housewives, factory workers, police officers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, pilots, gardeners, plumbers, priests, etc. You seem to have a very limited understanding of how the world works. Is that right!  :D :D :D

Yes. Yes it is.

Saul Goodman wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 10:57am:

Good Old CFMEU...Looking after the workers

Indeed.

Imagine how bad things would be without the unions protecting workers.

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 10:58am:

aussie100percent wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:56am: greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:54am: aussie100percent wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:44am: Bam wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:40am: cods wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:23am: companies have to pay HUGE AMOUNTS for workers comp insurance.. with every accident that increases....its isnt all one sided.... looking at this case... it seems to me this chap should have asked his fellow workers IS THIS NORMAL to work under these conditions... because if thats the case.... then surely you have to say this happens because of the workers......not because of the management...... I thought it was against the LAWS/RULES..for anyone to work when the tempo gets to a certain level... It is ... but something being illegal isn't enough to stop some people. You mean like UNION BOSSES >:( :( :o >:( Like everyone. People from all walks of life break the law. Union bosses, Liberal Party members, housewives, factory workers, police officers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, pilots, gardeners, plumbers, priests, etc. You seem to have a very limited understanding of how the world works. Is that right!  :D :D :D Yes. Yes it is.

OMG what should I do? :( :( :( :( :(

aussie100percent wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2016 at 11:01am:

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:58am: aussie100percent wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:56am: greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:54am: aussie100percent wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:44am: Bam wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:40am: cods wrote on Jan 3rd, 2016 at 10:23am: companies have to pay HUGE AMOUNTS for workers comp insurance.. with every accident that increases....its isnt all one sided.... looking at this case... it seems to me this chap should have asked his fellow workers IS THIS NORMAL to work under these conditions... because if thats the case.... then surely you have to say this happens because of the workers......not because of the management...... I thought it was against the LAWS/RULES..for anyone to work when the tempo gets to a certain level... It is ... but something being illegal isn't enough to stop some people. You mean like UNION BOSSES >:( :( :o >:( Like everyone. People from all walks of life break the law. Union bosses, Liberal Party members, housewives, factory workers, police officers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, pilots, gardeners, plumbers, priests, etc. You seem to have a very limited understanding of how the world works. Is that right!  :D :D :D Yes. Yes it is. OMG what should I do? :( :( :( :( :(

Your two main problems are ignorance and misinformation.

Therefore, I'd suggest that you: a) go back to school and finish year 10, and; b) stop watching TV shows like ACA, 60 Minutes, and The Bolt Report.