Queensland is undertaking a “safety reset” following several recent deaths in the mining and quarry industry. This government initiative has the backing of the resources sector and has collated a good amount of safety resources in support of what is a mandatory exercise. What is a little different in this initiative is that it reinforces …
In April this year the Victorian Government’s Workplace Manslaughter Implementation Taskforce raised the following issues in its Criminal Law Reform Consultation Paper, seen by the SafetyAtWorkBlog: the definition of “person” in the OHS and proposed Industrial Manslaughter laws the establishment of negligence and the standard of care expected by the reasonable person the extension of …
Over 600 delegates at the National Suicide Prevention conference in Melbourne in July 2019 heard one speaker almost invoke the “Safety Differently” concept to suicide prevention (Hands off, its ours, Ed.). This showed that suicide prevention approaches are maturing, but that advocates continue to operate in a public health/mental health silo. Several speakers acknowledged that … Continue reading “Suicide Differently”
The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System began the first of a couple of days focusing on suicide prevention by reminding the audience that there are three kinds of interventions: Universal – population level wellness Selective – those who have suicidal thoughts and behaviours Indicated – those who are engaging in suicidal behaviour Occupational …
Unrelated to the article earlier today about working in extreme heat, last week Australia’s Cancer Council released an occupational health and safety (OHS) guide for working outdoors and to prevent and avoid skin cancer. It is a timely release for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere as it allows us several months to review …
Parts of Europe are sweltering in extreme Summer temperatures similar to what Australian workers have experienced. A comparison of just temperatures is unreasonable as the European challenge is greater than Australia’s because the society, buildings and operational structures are largely designed and configured for low temperatures and snow. In many ways climate change will be …
Last week I mentioned two work-related films at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Tomorrow’s Castlemaine Documentary Film Festival is screening Happy Sad Man a film about the mental health of Australian men. There is an overlap with work-related mental health, especially farmers, so I’ve bought my ticket. Kevin Jones