SafeWorkSA has announced that its OHS awards program for 2011 has received a record 80 nominations. This is a useful counterpoint to the initiatives that WorkSafe Victoria has instigated to stem declining interests in its awards program. SafeWorkSA has provided a breakdown of the award categories: Best Workplace Health and Safety Management System – 16 … Continue reading “OHS awards can provide a market awareness”
The Australian newspaper reports today (26 July 2011) of a clash between the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union (CFMEU) and BHP Billiton over fatigue management. Fatigue management is one of the workplace hazards scheduled for a draft code of practice under the OHS harmonisation process. The CFMEU believes that the current mining-related guidance is inadequate. “The Construction Forestry … Continue reading “Fatigue dispute illustrates ideological clash”
It has been known for some time that OHS regulators struggle with handling reports of workplace bullying. Investigation of these hazards requires new inspectorate skills and take considerable time. Investigations of bullying involve people and this is always more involved than inspecting a missing machine guard or assessing the operation of a forklift. However, in … Continue reading “WorkSafe Victoria provides insight into bullying investigations”
The occupational health and safety of sex workers is one of the most difficult areas to write about as the industry is politically and ideologically charged with matters of feminist ideology, human rights and sex trafficking, religious morality and NIMBY lobbying. In such an environment, it is important that the OHS needs of sex workers … Continue reading “Brothel safety gains new media attention”
In 2009 Australian OHS regulators made the definitive statement on the use of back belts. The guidance stated that: Back belts don’t reduce the forces on the spine Back belts don’t reduce the strain on muscles,tendons and ligaments Back belts do nothing to reduce fatigue or to increase the ability to lift Back belts are … Continue reading “Back support devices don’t work but new designs should be investigated”
SafetyAtWorkBlog has been vocal on the need for Australia OHS awards to be reinvigorated, freshened up and re-booted. WorkSafe Victoria launched a new interactive approach to its State awards several months ago with the intention of engaging the community and trying to maintain a momentum for the award process throughout the year. In an exclusive interview … Continue reading “WorkSafe media director, Bernie Dean, talks about the new awards strategy”
On 4 July 2011, WorkSafe Victoria released a media notice entitled “WorkSafe to target state’s most dangerous industries“. (The title of the media release currently available on-line has been changed from “dangerous” to “risky”.) Below are the industries that WorkSafe considers the most dangerous: Food manufacturing and processing, wood product manufacturing, fabricated metal, transport equipment … Continue reading “Targeting the most dangerous industries but not those with the most deaths”