With the prospect of ASADA action against its players looming, the news has got even worse for Essendon, with the Victorian WorkCover Authority launching an investigation into the club’s 2012 supplements program.

Fairfax Media has confirmed the authority recently began its investigation into Essendon’s workplace health and safety practices after receiving a request from an external body.

Under Essendon’s supplements programs, players received injections of a range of substances not yet approved for human use in Australia or only permissible with a prescription.

The club has been unable to tell players, the AFL or ASADA exactly what all the substances were that were given to players under the program run by its former sports science chief Stephen Dank and former fitness boss Dean Robinson.

In a statement to Fairfax Media, a VWA spokesman said: “The VWA has been monitoring the progress of the ASADA investigation into allegations surrounding the Essendon Football Club. The VWA recently received a request under section 131 of the OHS Act 2004 to investigate alleged risks to health and safety at the club. The VWA is required to investigate and determine if further action should be taken. As this is a current investigation, the VWA is unable to comment further.”