evidence – Page 4 – SafetyAtWorkBlog

Caesarstone has a point in its identification of the root cause for silicosis deaths

Engineered stone manufacturers are, understandably, not happy with Australia’s proposed ban on their silicosis-generating products. Some home builders have also expressed dissatisfaction. They are often ignoring the reason for the ban – the unnecessary deaths of workers – although at least one argument has merit.

In an article by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Caesarstone, the major supplier of engineered stone to Australia, identified what it sees as the real causes of silicosis risks:

Australia is the first nation to ban engineered stone due to worker health concerns

The heads of Australian work health and safety authorities have decided to ban engineered stone from the middle of 2024. Some will seed this as a win for the trade union movement ( the unions certainly will), but many occupational health and safety and industrial hygiene professionals have been leading the way in obtaining the research evidence that made this decision such an easy one to make.

Interview with ILO’s Manal Azzi

Last week, I was able to interview several speakers, sponsors and delegates at the 23rd World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, sometimes on behalf of the Congress and at other times privately. Some of these interviews were edited from forty-five minutes of content to ten. The interview with the Team Lead on Occupational Safety and Health at the International Labour Organization, Manal Azzi, available online, was once such. This SafetyAtWorkBlog article is the full, slightly edited, transcript of that interview.

Initial reflections on the 23rd World OSH Congress

The 23rd World Congress on Safety and Health at Work has been a remarkable achievement, with 3000 delegates, at least two-thirds of whom are from outside of Australia. The most valuable elements of this Congress have been the opportunities to network, talk to people you’ve never met, and get new perspectives. What has been a little peculiar was the presentations or, rather, the format of the sessions.

New international and local workplace data should cause a reassessment of national OHS strategies

Earlier this week, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) released new data showing that in 2019:

“According to the latest estimates developed by the ILO and covering the year 2019, over 395 million workers worldwide sustained a non-fatal work injury.”

More research on global work-related deaths has been released. This time, it was through the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment, and Health and with regional data breakdowns. This latest report includes some important statistical data about psychosocial exposures at work.

ILO sets the OHS picture at the 23rd World Congress

This afternoon, the 23rd World Congress on Safety and Health at Work commences in Sydney. Already important information is being released, with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) being first out of the block, setting the broader occupational health and safety (OHS) context.

In a media release dated November 27 2023, the ILO says:

How to determine the usefulness of what you read

Many employers are continuing to pimp up their well-being programs and employer benefits with the intention of managing mental health pressures. This is often based on advice from multinational business advisory and consulting firms in the form of trend surveys and reports about business attitudes, fears and concerns. A recent report from Mercer was the basis for an article in the Australian Financial Review (AFR, paywalled) written by Euan Black. It is instructive to subject the article and the Mercer report to a little scrutiny to determine their usefulness.

Category: evidence

Caesarstone has a point in its identification of the root cause for silicosis deaths

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Australia is the first nation to ban engineered stone due to worker health concerns

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Interview with ILO’s Manal Azzi

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Initial reflections on the 23rd World OSH Congress

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New international and local workplace data should cause a reassessment of national OHS strategies

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ILO sets the OHS picture at the 23rd World Congress

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How to determine the usefulness of what you read

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