Social connection is ‘one of the strongest protective factors’ against mental ill-health and, for farmers, livestock sales are the biggest meeting point
In
Giles v State of Queensland [2020] QDC 332, the District Court of Queensland dismissed an injured worker s claim on the basis the State was not negligent in its management and welfare checking during his attendance at a catastrophic fire.
Facts
The plaintiff, Peter Giles, had been employed as a firefighter with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Services (
QFRS) for 27 years.
In August 2011, Mr Giles was working as a pump operator to help fight a house fire in Slacks Creek where, tragically, many lives were lost.
QFRS made a deliberate decision that night to not rotate workers on site, with a view to limiting the number of personnel exposed to the catastrophic scene.