Professor Andrew Hopkins is one of Australia’s most prominent critics of how the term “Safety Culture” is used by the occupational health and safety (OHS) profession and businesses generally. Last week, Dr Tristan Casey followed Hopkins’ presentation at a Brisbane safety conference and was put on the spot as his presentation was not really …
One of the most important occupational health and safety (OHS) guidances released the last couple of years is the Safe Work Australia (SWA) guide “Work-related psychological health and safety: A systematic approach to meeting your duties“, but its significance is not being universally embraced. Recently Australian law firm, Minter Ellison, released an “insight” document on …
The Independent Review of Model WHS Laws being conducted by Marie Boland released a Public Consultation Summary on August 17 2018. Boland lists the concerns raised with her as including: “the blurring of lines between WHS [work health and safety], public safety and public health” “The length and complexity of the Regulations and Codes”...
The Queensland government was the first Australian State to introduce a licencing scheme for the providers of contract workers and temporary labour. As a result, enforcement activity by the regulator there will likely set the scene for similar actions in other States particularly as Victoria has opened it public consultation on its labour hire regulations. …
It is almost impossible to underestimate the impact that Australia’s Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry is already having on the corporate cultures of Australian businesses. The effective management of occupational health and safety (OHS) relies on effective consultation, trust and respect just as does any other element in a …
The managerial tempo for many decades was stable, stable, stable, new management = restructuring, stable, stable…. Occupational health and safety (OHS) was relevant, if allowed, during the restructuring process when injuries, psychological illnesses and workers compensation claims increased. The frequency of those restructures has increased, often in relation to executive churn, to a point when … Continue reading “‘Thin’ advice on the management of change”
Recently Australian media was entranced with an argument over gender politics between two Senators, David Leyonjhelm and Sarah Hanson-Young. One of the elements in the argument concerns sexual harassment in the workplace but is the Australian Parliament a workplace like any other Australian workplace? And does this really matter? In the aftermath of the initial …