Category: union

Decent Work is so 2015

Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has talked about occupational health and safety (OHS)….. a bit. On November 4, 2025, the PM addressed the IndustriALL Global Union 4th Congress. According to the congress’ website it:

‘…will bring together trade union representatives from around the world to discuss the future of work and reinforce their collective commitment to fundamental rights and social justice.”

So, it would be odd if OHS were not mentioned or discussed. (The Congress does maintain an OHS page)

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Why Known Hazards Still Kill – Falls from Heights

Recently WorkSafe Victoria revealed that in 2025:

“In the first half of this year, 174 Workcover claims have been lodged from the construction industry, from falls alone. A further 34 businesses have been charged and another 28 duty holders faced legal action, accumulating more than 2.54 million in fines, undertakings and costs. That already tops the entire 2024 figure of $1.65 million from 33 charged or prosecuted entities.”

I had the opportunity to ask WorkSafe’s Chief Health and Safety Officer, Sam Jenkin (pictured above), why such a well-known workplace hazard persists.

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OHS and Politics

In support of Australia’s Safe Work Month, I have recorded a 12-minute opinion piece on how Australian politics since 2010 has affected the perception and development of occupational health and safety, based on past SafetyAtWorkBlog articles.

It is an interesting opportunity to reflect on the decisions and actions of influential individuals like Julia Gillard, Kristina Keneally, Jeff Lawrence, and David Gregory.

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Remembering the People Behind the Statistics

Occupational health and safety (OHS) can feel like nothing but administrative work, wading through safety clutter. It is easy to forget that OHS is about preventing harm or managing the consequences. There are people behind the statistics and families behind the people. I find it important to keep myself grounded by attending small events that remind me of why I do what I do.

Last week, just before Australia’s Safe Work Month, I attended a small gathering of people affected by work-related deaths, which was organised by GriefWork.

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Every Worker Deserves A Good Life

Work-related suicide is more insidious in some ways than non-work suicide, as it is institutionally stigmatised to the extent that its reality has been denied. There is an additional level of complexity when an employer is in control of the work, and a strong economic ideology often denies the influence of work factors. The tide is turning, but organisational factors are not receiving the prominence they deserve, and the change remains slow.

New Australian research is playing a crucial role in accelerating this change.

Note: This article discusses issues related to suicide.

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Australia’s Safety Blindspot

Australia’s Economic Roundtable recycled the same institutions and failed metrics that have long masked our productivity crisis. As Amy Remeikis notes, those who shaped past policy failures now feign surprise at the fallout. Meanwhile, important drivers of productivity, such as safe and quality work, remain ignored. OHS is treated as a compliance chore, rather than a strategic asset. If the Albanese government truly wants productivity reform, it must stop listening only to the “profit class” and start measuring what matters: worker health, dignity, and contribution.

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International Workers Memorial Day Speech Template

I have attended many memorials for deceased workers. Usually, a local or State politician makes a speech about the importance of occupational health and safety (OHS), and how every worker has a right to return home safely and healthily at the end of the working day. The speeches are usually clichéd, even though these words are heartfelt and sometimes sound like they have been written from a template.

So I asked an artificial intelligence program to write a speech for International Workers Memorial Day by a senior Australian politician. Below is the remarkable result.

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