In September 2007, UK’s Health & Safety Executive produced a safety poster on the myth of students wearing safety goggles while playing conkers. HSE did not demystify the issue by examining the origin of the myth and only chose to debunk the myth. The February 2011 edition of the Fortean Times provides a little more detail on [...]
All posts for the month December, 2010
Conkers and risk assessments
Posted by Kevin Jones on December 31, 2010
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2010/12/31/conkers-and-risk-assessments/
The Social Media is the Message
Melody Kemp in Vientiane writes: The apoplectic brouhaha that greeted Wikileaks in the past few months has shown us the power of the internet to upstage, discomfit and enrage. Governments like corporations operate under a variety of ‘commercial-in-confidence’ scores, the cadence of which changes with the degree of self interest at hand. That Wikileaks has [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on December 25, 2010
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2010/12/25/the-social-media-is-the-message/
Mental health initiative needs broader remit
One of the fastest growing areas of occupational health and safety is psychological wellbeing. This goes under many different titles, brands and trademarks but mental health seems to be the dominant term at the moment. On 22 December 2010, the Australian Government faced the reality of the issue and created a mental health working group [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on December 23, 2010
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2010/12/23/mental-health-initiative-needs-broader-remit/
Telling is better than being exposed
Many OHS laws place obligations on employers to notify regulators ( ) of any particularly serious (often defined) incidents. In many jurisdictions regulators are sometimes informed of work-related hospital admissions, for instance, even if employers do not notify. But there is substantial benefit in notifying the regulators early. Anecdotal evidence shows that by facing up [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on December 17, 2010
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2010/12/17/telling-is-better-than-being-exposed/
Make buying a business a safe choice
A recent prosecution by SafeWorkSA illustrates an odd situation but one of considerable importance. The media release of 15 December 2010 reports on the the penalties given to Hermes Precisa Pty Ltd (A$24,600) and Salmat Document Management Solutions Pty Ltd (A$22,400) for breaches of OHS law in May 2008. The circumstances of the offence are: “ A [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on December 16, 2010
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2010/12/16/make-buying-a-business-a-safe-choice/
West Australian farmer found dead under his quadbike
WorkSafe WA has reported on a quad-bike related death of a 68-year-old man in the evening of 12 December 2010. Details are scarce as OHS inspectors have only been able to attend the scene this morning. The WorkSafe media release (soon to be available online) states: “WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death of a 68-year-old [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on December 13, 2010
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2010/12/13/west-australian-farmer-found-dead-under-his-quadbike/
Powerful OHS stories on YouTube
Yossi Berger recently criticized the award-winning “Homecoming” ads of WorkSafe that have been rebroadcast in the US. Berger said that the awareness raising ads do not contribute to saving lives. Workplace Health & Safety Queensland has produced a series of survivor stories that, if the wider working community gets to see them, are an enlightening view of [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on December 13, 2010
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2010/12/13/powerful-ohs-stories-on-youtube/
New documentary of the politics of OHS regulation in the United States
Two years ago, Rachel Maddow in the United States reported on the performance of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) under President George W Bush revealed by the Washington Post. Cavelight Films is in the process of completing a film, Cost of Construction, First video below) which looks at the big OSHA and political context as it relates [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on December 12, 2010
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2010/12/12/new-documentary-of-the-politics-of-ohs-regulation-in-the-united-states/
Of stunning, short-lived cactus flowers and quad bikes
The smoke from the mine: It has been a frighteningly bad month in the mining industry internationally. OHS meetings I attended during this period have been hushed as a result of the New Zealand tragedies. Discussions about OHS have become more pertinent and more accurate – for the time being. But this, like stunning but [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on December 8, 2010
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2010/12/08/of-stunning-short-lived-cactus-flowers-and-quad-bikes/
OHS harmonisation documents released for public comment
Late on 7 December 2010 Safe Work Australia released draft OHS regulations and Codes of Practice for public comment. The documents released are: Issues paper Model WHS Regulations How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks How to Consult on Work Health and Safety Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Facilities for Construction Sites Managing Noise and Preventing [...]
Posted by Kevin Jones on December 7, 2010
http://safetyatworkblog.com/2010/12/07/ohs-harmonisation-documents-released-for-public-comment/
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