CCTV cameras on a cash register may deter theft due to the fear of consequences, such as discipline or dismissal, but they also communicate a lack of trust. If the aim is to prevent physical actions like theft, they work. But can they prevent occupational health and safety (OHS) breaches like sexual abuse in childcare centres?
Many people in Australia are asking why any woman would consider a career in the military, given the considerable risk of sexual harassment, abuse and assaults. Occupational health and safety (OHS) and risk management disciplines often draw on many of the risk assessment processes and principles from the defence forces; however, there appear to be significant and intransigent risks in that sector.
Note: This article mentions suicide
One of the most significant safety challenges for any employer is determining when a new employee is ready to work independently, without direct supervision. When do you trust that they can undertake a task without being hurt? That focus should not be solely on the worker’s ability, though; it should also be on the systems of work that you have in place to keep that worker safe. Is the job or task too much for them? Or does the job require another person to be present for it to be done safely?
We want our workers to be competent and confident. We want to trust them to do the job properly, i.e., safely, on time, and to a good quality. However, some jobs and tasks cannot or should not be done properly by only a single worker, and we should not expect a single worker to handle all tasks.
Occupational health and safety (OHS) is the central theme of this blog, but it is essential to remember that not all workplace health and safety actions are governed by a single set of laws or a single regulatory agency. Safety in the retail sector offers a good example.
It is clear from the emails I have received, as well as many of the comments on LinkedIn and other social media platforms, that the modern role of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) remains a contentious issue, as discussed below. One of the many issues, young workers’ perceptions of EAP, was addressed by Alena Titterton of Johnson Winter Slattery, who provides an important and different perspective on who uses EAPs:
The concussion risks of sportspeople continue to appear in the media and popular discussions after every suicide, death, or retirement of sportspeople who play contact sports. Recently, Alan Pearce, Professor, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Health Science, Swinburne University of Technology, wrote an opinion piece for The Australian newspaper (paywalled) that touched on some occupational health and safety (OHS) themes that deserve expanding.
[This article discusses suicide]
Last week, I wrote an article about Andrew Hopkins’ new safety leadership book about Boeing’s management style. It was a popular article, but this last weekend I wondered if I was talking about it in a way that failed to engage with younger readers and potential subscribers. So I asked an Artificial Intelligence program to translate the Hopkins article into language commonly used by Generation Alpha. Below is that translation (some I don’t understand), which offers an interesting linguistic contrast.
Andrew Hopkins just dropped a new book, and it’s basically him going full savage on how modern companies—especially Boeing—put profits over people. It’s short (only 81 pages), but it hits HARD. Like, “how did we let this happen?” hard.
