On 4 November 2009, the first edition of the Journal of Health & Safety Research & Practice began appearing in some Australian letter boxes. This is the long-awaited, and long-promised, journal produced for members of the Safety Institute of Australia. The three articles in this inaugural edition are very good but the format and the … Continue reading “New Australian academic OHS journal”
Let’s pull together several workplace hazards and suggest one control measure that may address all of them at once. Of course, the control may generate other work hazards or management challenges. In Summer, work occurs throughout daylight hours. The long days, and possibly daylight savings, maximise the window of productivity for workers, particularly those who … Continue reading “Summer heat, fatigue and UV – a speculative solution”
In late October 2009, there were several OHS court cases in Australia that raise issues that need to be kept at the forefront of the thoughts of safety managers, safety professionals, workers and business owners. Amputation One case in South Australia identified the need to have sufficient detail in policies and procedures for workers to be safe. The comment of Industrial … Continue reading “Amputations, shocks and burns – court cases”
Today, 1,500 union health and safety representatives attended a one-day seminar in Melbourne concerning occupational health and safety. The seminars were supported by a range of information booths on issues from support on workplace death, legal advice, superannuation and individual union services. Kevin Jones, the editor of SafetyAtWorkBlog took the opportunity to chat with a couple of people on the booths about OHS generally and … Continue reading “Safe Work Australia Week podcast”
In OHS law in Australia, the employer/employee relationship is dead or, at least, coughing up blood. OHS law is to be based on “people conducting a business or undertaking” (PCBUs have been discussed briefly elsewhere) and not a worker working in a workplace, even though the recently changed industrial law, the Fair Work Act, maintains this relationship. This morning … Continue reading “OHS – time to grow up or get locked in the attic”
Australia is a Federation of States. This does not just mean that each State is a different colour of the schoolroom map. Each State has its own duties to its citizens from within the overall scheme of running a country. There has always been a tension between the two levels of government and currently the management of health care … Continue reading “A consistent approach to developing public policy is required”
Next week in Australia is Safe Work Australia Week in which each State jurisdiction undertakes information and promotional activities in support of occupational health and safety. In Sydney, the Safety Institute of Australia (SIA) is hosting a Safety Conference. A major theme, understandably, is Australia’s OHS law harmonisation and there are excellent speakers at the … Continue reading “Getting the OHS message out there”