Month: April 2010

Union view of OHS harmonisation and data on the social cost of workplace safety

The national OHS Officer of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, Deborah Vallance, provided her perspective on the tweaking of Australia’s OHS laws to the StickTogether radio program on 25 April 2010.  (The interview is at the 16 minute mark in the podcast)

Vallance says that the complexity and overlap of laws is often overstated but that there are benefits for licencing systems related to workplaces.  She casts doubt on the significance of the reforms leading to a “seamless economy” regularly spruiked by government ministers. Continue reading “Union view of OHS harmonisation and data on the social cost of workplace safety”

Prominent unionist renews pledge on asbestos

SafetyAtWorkBlog asked Yossi Berger, National OHS Co-ordinator, Australian Workers’ Union, for comment on the relaunched Mesothelioma Registry.  His response is below

“The only known cause of meso is exposure to asbestos.  If you are diagnosed with it you have a 50% chance of surviving longer than 12 months.  Any lung physician will tell you that it’s a horrible way to suffer and die.  There is only one known preventative measure to meso – never be exposed to asbestos.

Whilst we know all of these facts we continue to see the numbers of meso sufferers increase – and they will continue to do so in the future.  All because generations before us failed to act responsibly.  They’ve left us with hundreds of thousands of tonnes of asbestos containing materials still in our workplaces and the community.

The time is well overdue to take proactive steps to get rid of asbestos once and for all.  We can not go on with this crazy reactive and lazy so called ‘risk management’ mentality.  If we do, other people’s children in generations to come will pay the price, and puzzle about this generation’s motives and morality.

The Tasmanian approach, with a move towards Prioritised Removal is the way to go.”

Kevin Jones

New Mesothelioma Registry and government answers asbestos questions

The Australian Workplace Relations Minister, Julia Gillard, this morning launched the latest Australian Mesothelioma Registry.  SafetyAtWorkBlog took the opportunity to ask Safe Work Australia some specific questions about asbestos and government policy.  Their responses are below.

The government has awarded the contract for the new Australian Mesothelioma Registry to a consortium led by the Cancer Institute of NSW. Continue reading “New Mesothelioma Registry and government answers asbestos questions”

Australia to get a national workers’ memorial

Last year, Tasmania began building a memorial garden for people who have been killed at work.  South Australia has the Don Gage Memorial Walk.  Queensland unveiled its new workers’ memorial on 28 April 2010.  The Australian government has finally sought to establish a national memorial in Canberra in support of the International Day of Mourning.

According to media statements from the Minister for Workplace Relations, Julia Gillard, and Senator Doug Cameron (former National Secretary Australian Manufacturing Workers Union) a committee will look into establishing an appropriate memorial in Canberra. Continue reading “Australia to get a national workers’ memorial”

National recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day – US & UK

The United States President, Barack Obama, has officially proclaimed 28 April 2010 as Workers Memorial Day.

It may be a politically appropriate announcement given the multiple fatalities that have happened recently in the United States, which the President mentions, but this should not overlook the fact that the leader of one of the most influential countries in the world has acknowledged the International Day of Mourning. Continue reading “National recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day – US & UK”

Inter-related issues of workplace bullying

Most of the workplace bullying attention in Australia in recent years has focussed on the white-collar industries and the relationship to stress, workload, harassment and policies for respect.   A case reported in the The Age newspaper on 29 April 2010 about bullying in a door frame company is reflective of apprentice bullying cases of over a decade ago but also illustrates the potential complexity of this workplace hazard. Continue reading “Inter-related issues of workplace bullying”

Australia’s national safety award winners

This evening in Canberra, Safe Work Australia announced the winners of the 5th Annual Safe Work Australia Awards. The profiles below are provided by Safe Work Australia.

The winners are:

Best Workplace Health and Safety Management System – Private Sector

GHD, South Australia

“GHD South Australia uses an electronic workplace health and safety management system accessible to all employees and has a workflow element to ensure that the necessary safety analysis and reporting is undertaken for all projects. Continue reading “Australia’s national safety award winners”

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