This week two new OHS books came across my desk unbidden. Both are very good but have very different contexts and both were published by Baywood Publishing Company Inc. “Who Is Nursing Them? It is Us.” “Neoliberalism, HIV/AIDS, and the Occupational Health and Safety of South African Public Sector Nurses” by Jennifer R Zelnick Northern … Continue reading “New books – South African nursing and a Canadian perspective”
Any new OHS guidelines from regulators important to read and consider when implementing safety interventions. New Zealand’s Department of Labour (DoL) has released new guidelines for the use of quad bikes in workplaces, predominantly, farms. Quad bike manufacturers are strong advocates of “active riding” techniques as an important safety practice. The new guidelines support … Continue reading “NZ releases new guidelines on quad bike safety”
The debate on OHS laws will be passionate in the pre-election frenzy of New South Wales but the OHS law reform is a national strategy and the safety debate is not asleep in the other States. On 11 February 2011, AAP ran an article about the long-lasting familial and social effects a horrible workplace incident in South Australia … Continue reading “Important OHS and legal issues in findings of South Australian Coroner into young man’s death”
Australia’s Comcare was the first of the OHS regulators to provide an information session on Australia’s attempts to harmonise its OHS laws across many different jurisdictions and industry sectors. The Melbourne seminar on 7 February 2011 could have been presented better but some useful information was available. Content – Inspectorate The most significant OHS information to come … Continue reading “Good Comcare content on effects of OHS harmonisation”
The December 2010 edition of WorkForce Management magazine (not available online) reports on a recent US survey concerning fatigue. The raw data is not available but the survey of 820 companies showed that over 80 per cent of respondents believed that fatigue was more of a workplace issue that in the past. This may indicate … Continue reading “OHS needs innovative thinking to manage fatigue”
Guest contributor, Gerard May, writes The economic circumstances an organisation finds itself in can greatly affect their approach to workplace health and safety. Tough economic times are still ahead for some industries and organisations, while others who rationalised for survival through the global financial crisis will begin to prosper. This article will delve into what may … Continue reading “Safety rationalisation doesn’t end with an improving economy!”
December must be the month for bullying guidances as another workplace bullying guide for employers has been released in Australia, this time by Comcare. Comcare has changed considerably over the years, particularly with the influx of private companies and organisations under its jurisdiction. Where previously it’s guidances covered public servants, postal services and the defence forces, it … Continue reading “Another public service bullying guide”