As a discipline for study, fatigue still seems to be in its early days and this presents a challenge for safety professionals and researchers. Everyone knows what fatigue is because at some time we all suffer it, but try to define it and it is different things to different people. Transport Safety Victoria (TSV), a division of … Continue reading “Fatigue management is getting clearer but is competing for attention”
For several months some Australian OHS regulators have been providing “Compliance at a glance” checklists. These are not intended to establish compliance, particularly in the small business sector as listed on one regulator’s website , but are more brief indicators of areas for greater improvement. Nevertheless the items listed in the “red zone” of the … Continue reading “OHS compliance checklists”
For several years now evidence has been growing that nightshift is unhealthy. Nightshift and other shiftwork can produce digestive problems, fatigue and impairment, increased breast cancer risks……. OHS and workplace experts seem to avoid the question “should nightshift be allowed?” Recently, a senior executive met with nightshift staff in a remote branch office. The nightshift work … Continue reading “Only vampires work nightshift”
The Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (AFOEM) has uploaded to the internet an hour-long discussion of their Position Statement on “Realising the Health Benefits of Work“. Firstly AFOEM should be congratulated for sharing such a resource. Although the paper itself was launched in May 2010, to have access in July 2010 is a great achievement and an indication of the openness of the … Continue reading “A radicalised OHS profession may meet future social needs”
The head of the UK’s Health & Safety Executive, Judith Hackitt has released part of a letter that she sent to Lord Young of Graffham on the announcement of his OHS review. According to Hackitt’s media statement she advised “The terms of reference of your review extend beyond HSE’s remit, which is concerned with addressing … Continue reading “HSE and Lord Young test the waters of reform”
The May 2010 edition of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine includes an important report about the increase of heart disease risk in young women. There is often a lot of reports into the cardiovascular health of men so this report is very useful. The basic findings of the report are: “Nurses who indicated that their … Continue reading “Heart disease risk findings in women”
Tomorrow, 28 April 2010, is the International Day of Mourning, a remembrance day for those who have died at work. In Australia most of the focus will be on the memorial event in Sydney as the majority of trade union leaders are in the city for the ACTU Organising Conference. This has the potential to … Continue reading “2010 International Day of Mourning”