Safe Work Australia (SWA) quietly released an amended version of its “Work-related psychological health and safety: A systematic approach to meeting your duties” recently. SafetyAtWorkBlog looks at what has changed.
Continue reading “Quiet release of amended mental health guidance”
There is a range of “fringe” events happening at the
Managing occupational health and safety (OHS) is most successful when it considers a range of perspectives or disciplines in identifying practicable solutions. Books are often successful in a similar multidisciplinary way but it is becoming rarer for books to contain a collection of perspectives. A new book has been published on Safety Culture which matches this multidisciplinary approach.
Many companies have bloated workplace procedures. Many of these seem to involve workplace health and safety. Some people blame this on a bureaucracy designed in the olden times by someone, that somehow still exists and is maintained by someone or some process that no one sees or knows. Some prominent Australian researchers have looked into this issue and have written about “safety clutter”* which they say is:
“…the accumulation of safety procedures, documents, roles, and activities that are performed in the name of safety, but do not contribute to the safety of operational work.”.”
The Safety Institute of Australia (SIA) is likely to have a different brand name in a couple of months. Following a member survey some weeks ago SIA Board members have been travelling Australia consulting with members. This may seem a bit arse about face but a process without consultation would have been a major problem.
Last night was Melbourne’s turn with a forum of about a dozen people hosted by Naomi Kemp. The survey results are inconclusive so should the rebranding exercise proceed?
Kemp provided some context
South Australia’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) conducted its last public hearing into SafeWork SA on August 31 2018. The Counsel Assisting, Holly Stanley, made several recommendations for improving SafeWork SA’s performance and governance, including body cameras for inspectors. Rather than wrapping up the inquiry with this public hearing, Commission Bruce Lander has asked for further submissions about these latest recommendations.
Stanley clearly stated the conditions from which she was making her recommendation such as resource restrictions, previous
Twelve months after the NSCA Foundation resurrected its occupational health and safety (OHS) conference program, SafetyCONNECT has settled into to a comfortable niche. This year’s conference, in an established Brisbane location has attracted around 140 delegates and almost 20 exhibitors. Perhaps most importantly is they have been able to attract entertaining and challenging local and international speakers. Continue reading “Power in simplicity – SafetyCONNECT”