A recent occupational health and safety (OHS) prosecution over a quad bike fatality gained some mainstream media attention, primarily due to one of the owners being an independent New South Wales politician, Helen Dalton. Strip out the political newsworthiness, and there are some serious OHS lessons for all employers to be learned from the Court judgement.
A hugely popular radio show in Australia, hosted by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O (Henderson), has been offensive for a long time, but offence can also be entertaining and economically lucrative. Last month, the host clashed on air, resulting in Jackie O leaving. Now there is legal action on several fronts, and psychological health and safety at work is being considered to some extent, and could/should be considered more.
Lately, I have been very critical of some self-published OHS books. I am not against this form of publishing, but the books need to be high-quality and professional; otherwise, they are, at best, short-term marketing and, at worst, vanity publishing.
Continue reading “Self‑publishing: credibility and context”Many articles about work-related burnout miss the occupational health and safety (OHS) point. On March 21, 2026, The Age published an article (paywalled) ostensibly about the benefits of disconnecting from phones and social media to combat burnout, improve mental health, and foster more meaningful, in-person connections. But the case it uses to make its point is also a case about the prevention of psychological harm at work.
Continue reading “Unsafe Work is Almost Always Behind Burnout”Earlier this month, I was critical of occupational health and safety (OHS) and farmers and asked
“So what can WorkSafe teach them about safety that farmers don’t already know?”
The death of dairy farmer Brad Collins following an incident involving a quad bike is the type of death that could have occurred and been reported at any time over the last few decades. Surely, a change in the cultures of farming, safety, and enforcement is required? Are we at “peak safety” on the deaths of farmers from quad bikes? Can nothing more be done?
What does occupational health and safety (OHS) have to do with Industrial Relations? It depends on who you ask. I think it is integral, but many, such as the trade union movement, seem to call on OHS only when needed, and then in the shallowest of ways.
It is increasingly common in Australia to discuss the issue of moral injury as it relates to the psychological health of medical, emergency, and health sector workers. The obvious controls of work and job design apply, but the training process and eligibility for these professions may also be contributing factors.
One answer may be found in a branch of the Humanities, and a similar approach may help employers and executives better understand occupational health and safety (OHS) and psychological safety.
