Date accepted: 1 June 2023

Incident: It was alleged that between 1 June 2015 and 22 February 2019, workers were exposed to the risk of serious injury or illness from work that was performed in the evisceration area of the Queensland Museum (QM) in South Bank to prepare exhibits for display. In January 2019 and February 2019 two employees, based at the QM were diagnosed with Q fever. The source and cause of Q Fever has not been identified, however, taxidermy of native animals and field work associated with collecting specimens are potential causes.

Alleged breach:  

PCBU had a health and safety duty under section 19(1) and 20 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) and failed to comply with those duties contrary to section 32 of the WHS Act.

Summary of undertaking:   

The following are key commitments given: 

• Refurb and upgrade the Biological Specimen Preparation Laboratory (BSPL) at the Queensland Museum in South Bank and ensure the BSPL and other laboratories in the QMN are beyond compliance.
• Establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) and induction process for external parties that will have access to the BSPL.
• Provide free access to the BSPL for assessment, assignment, research and other professional or industry related purposes.
• Engage specialist consultants to conduct – Q Fever Risk Audit prior to commissioning the BSPLs, Audit of the BSPLs SOPs and dangerous goods protocols, assist QMN in implementing WHS Leadership and Culture Survey.
• Purchase BSPL specialist and fit for purpose equipment and train six QMN laboratory staff members in Certificate III Laboratory Skills Laboratory Professional Development Training
• Recruit, engage and train – a project manager and suitably qualified employees to form a dedicated and appropriately resourced QMN Risk and Compliance team.
• Tender, purchase and implement a new work health and safety management system (WHSMS).
• Collaborate with the Office of Industrial Relations (OIR), taxidermy professionals across Australia and collecting institutes across Queensland to develop, promote, and annually update a best practice Museum Biological Specimen Preparation Tool Kit and practical Small Museum WHS Toolkit.
• Partner and liaise with universities, QMN’s Risk and Compliance Team will develop an internship/industry placement program for tertiary students studying WHS Science (or a related discipline) for an appropriate WHS project.
• Collaborate with OIR, Biosecurity Queensland and Queensland Health, and partnered universities, QMN will develop, promote, update and refine annually, a free educational resource profiling zoonotic disease found in domestic and non-domestic animals.

Total Minimum Expenditure: $900,224

Regulator Publication: Click here