The manufacturing sector, like many in the wider industrial space, faces significant costs pressures, largely due to overseas competition from the Asian market and China in particular. There is an increased reliance on a labour hire-based workforce in many companies. Agency staff are not always qualified or trained to the same level as local counterparts and this can often cause issues with on-site inductions and job specific training and instruction.
Our team is skilled at providing tailored solutions and guidance at all stages of the manufacturing process. We can help minimise operational disruption and mitigate risks when things do not go as planned.
We advise on public and product liability claims, insurance related and indemnity issues, risk management, workplace health and safety, and employment relation issues. Our detailed knowledge of the sector means we are able to provide effective, industry specific legal guidance.
Key services
- Management of public and product liability claims.
- Advising insurers on policy wordings and indemnity issues.
- Providing advice on contractual indemnity provisions.
- Providing risk management advice.
- Unfair dismissal claims, general protections disputes, bullying and discrimination claims.
- Advising on employment relation issues, including interpretation of enterprise agreements and managing industrial action.
- Advising on workplace health and safety issues, including responding to serious safety incidents.
Related experience
- Acting for a manufacturer of an allegedly faulty component in agricultural machinery in a multi-million dollar Federal Court class action.
- Defending the Australian-based manufacturer of abseiling equipment exported to the United States in a dependency claim. The equipment was used by a SWAT team member who fell to his death.
- Successfully defended a complex unfair dismissal claim for a major beverage manufacturer.
- Input into contracts as required, particularly for transfer of employees, labour hire agreements and contractors working onsite.
- Preparation and review of labour hire contracts
