As a discipline for study, fatigue still seems to be in its early days and this presents a challenge for safety professionals and researchers. Everyone knows what fatigue is because at some time we all suffer it, but try to define it and it is different things to different people. Transport Safety Victoria (TSV), a division of … Continue reading “Fatigue management is getting clearer but is competing for attention”
On 1 June 2011 the Australian television program 7PM Project ran an article about “Brodie’s Law” – an increase in the penalties for bullying and stalking. I was approached to be interviewed for the program due to my comments on this blog. I turned down the opportunity for a number of reasons, my time had already been … Continue reading “Will Brodie’s Law deter workplace bullying?”
One of the most difficult safety management challenges is the control of hazards associated with working alone. The most effective control is to not work alone, but the difficulty comes because this option requires expenditure. WorkSafe Victoria recently released an information sheet on this hazard and listed the following hazard control options: Buddy system Environmental design Communication … Continue reading “New OHS info on Working Alone and Occupational Violence”
Now is the time for the OHS fraternity to lobby local politicians on the importance of workplace safety for the community and business. Australia is facing a hung Parliament following the 21 August 2010 federal election. OHS was mentioned early in the campaign but not since even though there were opportunities. Industrial relations was raised in the … Continue reading “Now is the time for all good OHS lobbyists to come to the aid of their country”
The European Agency for Occupational Safety & Health at Work has released its Annual Report for 2009/10. Most of the content should be familiar to those who follow EU-OSHA through their blogs and publications but it provides a good indication of the future of OHS in Europe and the methods that will applied in that future. One significant achievement … Continue reading “Safety professionals and regulators must think more broadly and for the future”
Foxconn, a large technology manufacturer in China has a cluster of suicides. This issue is getting more attention than normal in Western media because the company manufactures products for Apple and the Apple iPad went on sale around the world at the same time news about the suicides broke. The question that must be asked … Continue reading “Suicides in China – is this a Foxconn problem or an Apple problem?”
RMIT University has been active in OHS education for some time and it is hoped that the OHS lecturers might wander down the corridors and knock on the door of Professor Bruce Wilson. On 28 May 2010, RMIT university launches its European Union Centre (EUC). According a media notice about the launch, the EUC intends … Continue reading “EU and Australia improve academic links – again”