Earlier this month, a company called Skodel received support on some LinkedIn posts in relation to workplace mental health. Its website says the company has “….a focus on developing a safe outlet for people to share mental wellbeing concerns and get linked to support.” At the end of the company’s homepage was this image: The …
Occupational health and safety (OHS) has many myths, as do many other business disciplines. This is particularly concerning in a discipline that advocates evidence-based decision-making and pushes for peer-reviewed independent research. Sometimes these myths relate to using gym balls as office chairs or back belts or “safe lifting techniques” to reduce manual handling risks or, … Continue reading “A new unicorn – the creation of a work health and safety myth”
The start of School Holidays is always a good time to issue reminders of the risks associated with farms, beaches and wherever holidaymakers go. The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF), recently reinvigorated in its occupational health and safety (OHS) efforts, has released a new safety booklet – “Child Safety on Farms – A practical guide for …
In 2017 Work Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) released this advice about reducing the physical risks associated with manual handling: “The research evidence shows that providing lifting technique training is not effective in minimising the risk of injury from manual tasks.” So why is “correct lifting technique” still being included in safety procedures and Safe …
The debate over the safety of quad bikes on farms continues but it is increasingly one-sided. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and workplace safety advocates continue to hold the line on the need to install operator protection devices (OPDs) to all quad bikes being sold in Australia. Farmers, often supported by commercial interests, …
Occupational health and safety (OHS) is often about promises. Employees trust their bosses to provide them with a job and the employer promises to provide a workplace that is as safe as possible. There are also contractual policies which formalise OHS relationships between client and contractor. But OHS is more often about those more personal …
Every man is aware of his penis and scrotum from a very early age. Male genitals do not feature often in discussions about occupational health and safety (OHS) but there was a workplace incident in the United States around 1970 that gained considerable attention but not really from the OHS perspective. I have always thought … Continue reading “Could your company manage an embarrassing workplace injury?”
