The Communications Division of the CEPU has been in negotiations with Australia Post for some time to establish a pathway to better industrial relations. On 18 March 2010 a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the two parties, committing both to progress. Of direct OHS interest is the following paragraph in the media statement about the MOU: “As a gesture of … Continue reading “LTIFRs (sort of) gone from Australia Post”
In December 2009, SafetyAtWorkBlog reported the comments by the English Conservative leader, David Cameron, on some concerns he had about the direction of occupational health and safety in England and how the newspapers were reporting OHS. On 15 March 2010, The Independent published an article by the CEO of the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH), Rob Strange. [IOSH says it is … Continue reading “The OHS profession in Australia needs a saviour. Has anyone got one spare?”
Most of the discussion about the safety of nanoparticles is split in to the consumer end use of the products or the occupational hazards of their manufacture. Safety managers, however, need to look at the potential risks of nanoparticles from consumer products that are used in the workplace. New Australian research again focuses on sunscreens.
A feature article on workplace bullying in The Age newspaper on 10 March 2010 has the additional or secondary benefit of again raising the relevance of “restorative justice” to the issue of occupational safety and health. The main element of the article is the McGregor family who had two children commit suicide over related issues. The son, Stuart … Continue reading “Workplace bullying and restorative justice – how to help the families left behind”
In October 2009, Australian lawyer, Michael Tooma gained considerable media coverage by stating that under the model Work Health and Safety Act: “..if I call out a tradesperson to do some work at my home, my home is their workplace and I would be a person at their workplace. As such, I would have a duty to … Continue reading “Another go at homeowners being exposed to workplace prosecutions”
In February 2010, the New York Times ran an article about depression by Jonah Lehrer. The same article appeared in some of Australia’s weekend newspapers in early March. Lehrer looks at the issue of depression and considers whether there is a potential upside to the disorder by looking back as far as Charles Darwin for … Continue reading “When looking to understand psychosocial issues, ask your grandparents”
GE Capital placed a full-page pictorial advertisement in The Age newspaper on 4 March 2010 (page 5 of the business section). The ad, partly reproduced below, promotes the company’s financial services with the corporate slogan of “imagination at work”. Sadly safety at work wasn’t included in the ad. SafetyAtWorkBlog readers are asked to list the … Continue reading ““Imagination at work” but not safety”