On 12 April 2010, the electronic media (video report available) reported a fatality at a BHP Billiton mine in Western Australia where “a truck plunged 18 metres down a shaft at the Perseverance nickel mine near Leinster.” Newspapers on 13 April 2010 have provided further details. The 45-year old man, Wayne Ross, was operating a … Continue reading “BHP Billiton has another mining fatality at Leinster mine”
On 15 March 2010, the Australian Government congratulated the winners of, and participants in, the 2009–10 National Work–Life Balance Awards. According to a media release from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: “The Awards…. recognise family friendly practices like flexible working hours, options for working from home, paid parental leave, job sharing, onsite carer’s … Continue reading “OHS awards consider work/life balance but not vice versa”
There are several initiatives throughout the world under the banner of workplace health that have little relation to work. They are public health initiatives administered through the workplace with, often, a cursory reference to the health benefits also having a productivity benefit. So is a fat worker less safe than a thin worker? Such a general question … Continue reading “Does being fat equate to being unsafe at work?”
In 2004, I was asked to make an OHS-themed presentation to a group of paramedic students on ethics and from a small business perspective. Some of the information may have dated slightly but I post this to stimulate discussion. Below is an edited version of that 2004 oral presentation: Quite often, when we have an … Continue reading “A discussion on ethics and OHS decision making”
On 19 January 2010 EuroFound began the fieldwork necessary for the next in its series of surveys of working conditions in Europe. According to the media release: “Eurofound launches the fieldwork for the fifth European Working Conditions Survey, involving face-to-face interviews of workers in 34 European countries. This critical and timely research tracks the current state … Continue reading “European OHS statistics show the way for other regions”
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”
Australia is in the middle of a debate about the possible introduction of a charter or bill of human rights. The debate has been invigorated by the presentation to the Federal Government of a consultation report on human rights. Occupational safety is often said to be an issue of human rights but this seems to be a secondary … Continue reading “Where is the human right to safe work?”