Category: risk

Trade Unions, Culture, OHS and Fishing

One of the most important resources for occupational health and safety (OHS) advocates worldwide is the HESAMag, produced by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI). There are several important articles in the current issue, including an interview with Giulio Romani, the Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation.

One of his areas of concern is the challenges faced in OHS advocacy, an issue that may be better resolved with some out-of-the-box creative thinking. He said:

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Unsafe Work is Almost Always Behind Burnout

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.

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Rethinking Workers Compensation for Self-Employed Australians

My small- and micro-business clients have often asked whether they are covered by workers’ compensation insurance even if they do not pay a workers’ compensation premium. The easy answer is, it depends, which is very unhelpful. But there are some answers, sort of, in a way.

At this point, I remind readers that I am not a lawyer and have very little experience in workers’ compensation. The information below is for consideration only.

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Evidence that the four-day work week provides psychological health benefits

Recently, I bemoaned the lack of evidence on the occupational health and safety (OHS) benefits of a four-day work week. A reader pointed me to the research of sociologist Wen Fan. The most accessible way to her research is through an episode of the “Psych Health and Safety Podcast” from September 2025.

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The Quad Bike Death That Could Have Happened Any Year

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?

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If Doctors Need Humanities to Stay Human, What About Safety Professionals?

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.

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Stop Blaming Workers for Problems They Didn’t Create

Australian occupational health and safety (OHS) is moving from a focus on interventions at the individual worker level to examination of the operational and managerial systems that may cause or encourage harm and incidents, especially in relation to psychological safety at work.

Although a new book from the United States does not address OHS specifically, its long title indicates its relevance – “It’s On You – How the Rich and Powerful Have Convinced Us That We’re to Blame for Society’s Deepest Problems”.

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