On 19 May 2010, the Optometrists Association Australia (OAA) launched a national eye safety campaign. This campaign is worthwhile but illustrates some of the shortcomings of this type of campaign. The OAA media release states: “Sixty per cent of all eye injuries happen at work, .. warn optometrists who are urging every workplace to put eye safety … Continue reading “Eye safety campaign – a good start but shortsighted on safety”
Dr Yossi Berger of the Australian Workers Union has been reading some of the debate in SafetyAtWorkBlog and offered the article below for publication. He said to SafetyAtWorkBlog “…in relation to BP’s OHS catastrophes and comments about their management style, their managers and this aspirational, easily-bandied-about notion of workplace culture. Two things stimulated me to … Continue reading “The Astonished Manager: Not in my wildest dreams”
Prominent OHS unionist, Yossi Berger*, has attempted to place the issue of quad bike safety in the greater context of OHS In the latest issue of the Australian Workers’ Union’s Say Safety magazine (only available in hard copy). Berger says that the current debate between safety advocates and vehicle manufacturers over quad bikes is the … Continue reading “Quad bike safety remains a hot topic in Australia”
The safety profession needs better integration with the environmental initiatives and requirements imposed on business. In many industries compliance management across the quality, environment and safety disciplines has existed in an integrated fashion for years but many professionals in each discipline are unreceptive to change, some deny the need for change. Australia, over the last few years, has … Continue reading “The need to integrate worker safety in ‘green building’ design”
Caffeine is a commonly used stimulant in many workplaces around the world. As such, it is often considered to be the friend of the shift worker and a new analysis of research findings may make that friendship stronger. According to a new study from Cochrane researchers: “The results of this systematic review suggest that caffeine … Continue reading “Shiftwork saviour? – Caffeine (sort of)”
Around 15 years ago, occupational health and safety law in New South Wales looked exciting. The NSW Standing Committee on Law & Justice was investigating OHS, and not just the laws. There was a potential for the inquiry to make New South Wales a leader in innovation in this sector. On 11 May 2010, the news broke that … Continue reading “Important OHS law reformer, Jeff Shaw, dies”
In 2002, after several corporate collapses, the United States government signed in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act which was intended to establish business practices on accounting and auditing among other aims. The Western world watched the introduction of this legislation and echoed many of the requirements in their own legislation and corporate oversight agencies. It is likely in the wake of the global financial crisis that the United States … Continue reading “Where’s the Sarbanes-Oxley for workplace safety?”