SafetyAtWorkBlog recently reported on the financial results of the workers’ compensations schemes in South Australia and Victoria. WorkCover New South Wales results were released on 7 April 2009. According to an article in the Australian Financial Review (page 4, not available on line) the WorkCover NSW fund fell by $2.3 billion – the $625 million … Continue reading “Financial dive for WorkCover NSW”
Several colleagues have pointed to a young worker safety website that was established in Canada several years ago, http://www.notworthit.ca/ . The site, part of the WCB’s Young Worker campaign, won an award from American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds in their annual Communications Awards in 2007. There are remarkable similarities to The Pain Factory, even … Continue reading “Young Worker Safety – Part 3”
Frequently I receive audio media releases from the US about a range of workplace safety matters. These releases are scripted and can sometimes sound corny but within them is a usually a useful nugget of information. The latest one I received concerns presenteeism and mental health so, being so close to World Mental Health Day, … Continue reading “New presenteeism survey figures”
Last Friday the Australian Jockeys Association issued a media release in support of their safety campaign for increased compensation. The campaign was surprising on a number of points. The safety campaign is aimed to “help jockeys manage the risks inherent in their work”. Over the last few years there has been a marked increase in … Continue reading “When a safety campaign is not a safety campaign”
Presenteeism is when a worker attends work when they should not due to illness. Frequently ill workers attend the office or the factory because they feel that they are indispensable. This may be the case but they can then present health risks to others by communicating their flu or other disease to their colleagues. However, … Continue reading “Presenteeism in the US”
Some years ago the CEO of an OHS certifying body came to Australia from the US. He spoke intriguingly about the benefits of having an independently-assessed safety practitioner registration. I could see the potential international career benefits but I am already a registered safety practitioner through my membership with an OHS professional association. I couldn’t …
Australia’s Resources Minister, Martin Ferguson has emphasised that the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority (NOPSA) is a competent investigative organisation and that people should not speculate on the cause of the Varanus Island pipeline explosion before the report is completed. At a joint press conference with the Minister on 14 June 2008, West Australian Premier, … Continue reading “Business Continuity from Pipeline “near miss””