Australian newspapers reported that Victoria Police will be applying fitness criteria not only to police recruits but throughout their career. Other than giving headline writers the chance for puns about “thin blue lines”, the coverage raises the long existing issue over fit-for-duty. Workplace health and fitness is not a new issue of Victoria Police. It used Body … Continue reading “Career fitness program for police has wider impacts”
Teaching is a stressful occupation. Any occupation that requires one to not only talk to people but to educate them, is stressful. Imagine having to do this every week day in front of over twenty people who do not want to be there. During your lunch break, instead of putting your feet up and reading … Continue reading “Teacher stress, resilience and protective factors”
In April 2010, the Australian Government is busy negotiating a new health reform package. It is likely that the next stage of the reforms will be in the Australian Senate which brings Nick Xenophon into the negotiations. On 21 April 2010, The Australian reported Xenophon saying: “…he had “an open mind” on the deal brokered by the Prime Minister … Continue reading “How revolutionary could the Work Health and Safety Act be?”
Peter Arthur, a Partner with Australian law firm, Allens Arthur Robinson, spoke on Boardroom Radio on 1 April 2010 about new duties that national OHS laws will place on Directors. Although there are six elements in the new general duty, Arthur says that they all can come under the category of “information flow”.
On 22 March 2010, Workplace Health & Safety Queensland released new guidance on the use 0f quad bikes. There is no radical solution to quad bike deaths but there are some variations to existing advice which should be noted. The most obvious is that “quad bike” is used through instead of ATV (all-terrain vehicle). This may … Continue reading “New OHS advice on quad bikes”
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”
Through March 2010, WorkSafe Victoria is running a series of seminars on the issue of workplace bullying throughout Victoria. In support of the campaign, the OHS regulator has a series of ads in the newspapers (pictured below left) Cheekily the Community & Public Sector Union has “piggybacked” on the promotional campaign emphasising that the Victorian … Continue reading “Public sector union capitalises on WorkSafe bullying campaign”