harm – SafetyAtWorkBlog

Endorsing Exploitation? The Legal and Moral Blindspot in the Long-Hours Hustle

Recently, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published an extraordinary article that seems to endorse the exploitation of the mental health of workers. (Although the article is paywalled, it is getting a run in some local Australian newspapers) The article reports that companies like Shopify, Solace Health, and Rilla are bluntly marketing roles that involve extreme hours, a relentless pace, and minimal downtime.

One job post literally reads: “Please don’t join unless you’re eager to work 70 hours a week.”

If the job ads for these prominent North American companies were posted in Australia, the unsafe working conditions would likely be deemed illegal.

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Confronting Union Thuggery that Undermines Workplace Safety

Militant construction unions in Australia have damaged the relationship between the community and the trade union movement. Although the typical trade union member may be a nurse, a teacher, or a public servant, most would depict a member as a big, aggressive, rude, and domineering man. Australia’s trade union movement is trying to redress this perception, but it cannot progress until it eliminates the unsafe behaviour of the organisers of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU). The Queensland government is set to give reform a red-hot go.

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What does Grok say about OHS?

I was lunching at my local market when someone at the same table began chatting with me. The conversation turned to occupational health and safety (OHS). It was refreshing to discuss this with a non-OHS professional and see their surprised reactions to some of the things employers are required to do to create safe and healthy workplaces.

On my walk home, I wanted more perspectives on my thoughts, so I present the first in an occasional series called “What does Grok say….?”

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Workplace harm and harmful behaviours

A typical excuse, or a sentence, people use after they’ve caused harm, injury or created an offence, is that “I didn’t mean to do any harm or think anybody would be harmed”. Potential harm may not have been considered, and the consequence of the act or a word was not anticipated. But it’s also possible that it’s a lie, and that they did intend harm, and they’re just looking for a way to excuse themselves from the responsibility and the consequence of that harm. And that’s a problem with including intent in a definition of work-related harm.

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Australia needs an “OHS for HR” book

SafeWorkSA has published fascinating information about preventing “harmful workplace behaviours.” The webpage’s eye-catching part is the Hierarchy of Controls for Managing the Risk of Harmful Workplace Behaviours, but the article is curious.

The audience for information from occupational health and safety (OHS) regulators is supposedly everyone, but it is rarely read by anyone other than OHS advocates. However, any information about psychosocial risks and hazards needs to be written in a tone that attracts the attention of those in businesses who have established ownership of these hazards, primarily the Human Resources (HR) person. SafeWorkSA’s page fails to reach this target.

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Some jobs continue to be bullshit ones

The concept of Bullshit Jobs persists. In the Oxford University Press BRAIN, neurologist Masud Husain applies the idea to universities and intellectuals. As I qualify as neither, I read the article seeking insight into the concept’s progress and application to occupational health and safety (OHS). I found connections to burnout, stress and Safe Work Method Statements.

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OHS and the diversity, equity and inclusivity backlash

The Australian Financial Review has looked at the local Australian context of the United States opposition to continuing workplace initiatives on diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI), The AFR contacted some Australian technology companies for their leaders’ thoughts as overseas the DEI opposition seems loudest in tech companies. The media attention overseas has also come from the activities of some right-wing anti-woke activists. The opposition seems to deny or ignore some of the evidence for DEI contributing to company profitability, cultural strength and occupational health and safety (OHS).

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