“The premium has dropped eight per cent from last financial year. This is the third consecutive drop in the Commonwealth sector premium rate.” [my emphasis] Fantastic news – eight per cent reduction in 12 months! The media release goes on: “… this is a very pleasing result for Commonwealth agencies as it indicates injuries are [...]
All posts for the month June, 2009
Cheeky workers compensation premium statistic
Posted by Kevin Jones on June 30, 2009
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2009/06/30/cheeky-workers-compensation-premium-statistic/
Safety culture improvements in Spain
The improved safety status in workplaces that have an active union presence has been verified through research, but what of the efforts on safety management from outside the union research efforts. Below is the abstract of an article that was published online late-2008 (and is available for purchase). The research was conducted in a country [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on June 30, 2009
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2009/06/30/safety-improvements-in-spain/
Union abuse of workplace safety
The fragility of Australia’s agreement for OHS harmonisation is illustrated in an article by Michael Stutchbury of The Australian. He mentions the potential domino effect resulting from the West Australian Treasurer’s desire to keep his options open. New South Wales and Queensland see that a (politically unpalatable) out is possible. The freshest information in his [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on June 30, 2009
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2009/06/30/union-abuse-of-workplace-safety/
Varanus Island is back to normal
According to various Australian media reports, the natural gas plant at Varanus Island in Western Australia is now back to full capacity following the major pipeline explosion in 2008. The government has estimated that the explosion blasted $A2 billion from the state economy and will be pursuing the pipeline’s owner, Apache Energy, through the courts. [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on June 29, 2009
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2009/06/29/varanus-island-is-back-on-line/
Latest guidance on working alone
Western Australia’s WorkSafe has just released its latest guidance on working alone and it is the most practical look at the hazard from any OHS regulator in Australia. Importantly, it differentiates between “alone” and “remote”. In 1995, when the Victorian First Aid Code of Practice raised the issue of isolation, there was considerable confusion. How [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on June 29, 2009
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2009/06/29/latest-guidance-on-working-alone/
When employees are their worst enemy.
A recent article in a rehabilitation newsletter reminded me of a client from several years ago. Several employees in a small item packaging line were reporting wrist and forearm soreness toward the end of their shift. They believed that the line speed was too fast for them to comfortably work their full shift. In consultation [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on June 26, 2009
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2009/06/26/when-employees-are-their-worst-enemy/
Evidence, subjectivity and myth
There is a big push for occupational safety and health decisions to be made on evidence. OHS academics in Australia are particularly big on this and there is considerable validity in the lobbying but as academics can have a vested interest in research, the calls are often dismissed. There is also, around the world, a [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on June 26, 2009
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2009/06/26/evidence-based-decision-making/
OHS crime alert
In late June 2009, WorkSafe Victoria tried a new approach to raising the awareness of the criminal status of OHS breaches through producing a formatted media alert and placing an ad in the daily newspapers. It is unclear how else the “flyer” will be distributed other than through the WorkSafe website. Indications are that a hard [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on June 26, 2009
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2009/06/26/ohs-crime-alert/
Root Cause and Camels
In tertiary risk management courses, one is urged to look for “contributory factors” to an event. An event can be a specific action or failure but a good investigation looks at the factors that led, or conspired, to the failure – “contributory factors” – as well as the failure itself. For example, a common phrase [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on June 26, 2009
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2009/06/26/root-cause-and-camels/
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