In Australia there is increasing pressure to work more hours than what one is paid for. Many different organisations use this fact to push for various improved benefits, in many circumstances the statistics are used in support of wage improvements. But working beyond contracted hours will certainly affect one’s work/life balance as there are only … Continue reading “Unpaid overtime is the new danger money”
Since the end of the end of the public comment phase on Australia’s national model OHS laws, Safe Work Australia has been daily uploading submissions to their website. Within the last lot of uploads was a block of around 100 submissions, all of which are marked confidential and have, apparently, been submitted by individuals. One … Continue reading “Coincidence or unique perspective?”
The Australian Government instigated a rebate scheme for ceiling insulation for domestic homes in order to the climatic impacts of heating one’s home. The rebates effectively make insulation free and, as a result, there is a boom in insulation installation. As with any boom in any industry, there is an influx of new workers. The … Continue reading “Unintended consequences of inadequate preparation”
Boardroom Radio has hosted a very interesting podcast between two labour lawyers, Andrew Douglas and Michael Tooma, with the participation of Barry Silburn, the National President of the Safety Institute of Australia. The SIA National President’s contributions were quite narrow, dominated by the issue of “suitably qualified” in the new model OHS laws (but he did struggle … Continue reading “OHS law debate and Law Society position”
Ever since modern offices have relied on air conditioning for ventilation, indoor air quality has been a contentious occupational issue from other people’s smells to thermal comfort to photocopier toner dust. The prominence of air quality in offices as an OHS issue can be illustrated by a paragraph from the 1997 edition of Officewise when … Continue reading “Forest not required – indoor air quality and plants”
I bought tickets to the Jane Woollard play Prophet & Loss in almost total ignorance of the play and, as a result, sat in the old church on a cold Winter’s night wondering what I was in for. The program was detailed but I hadn’t time to read it. I knew the play was about … Continue reading “Prophet and Loss – review”
In June 2009, a small theatre company in Australia will be performing a play call “Prophet and Loss”. According to a colleague of mine, John Bottomley, it is a thought-provoking and powerful theatre performance telling true stories of some WGS clients bereaved by work-related death. As we at Creative Ministries Network seek to understand the … Continue reading “New play about the impact of workplace death”