OHS research into why the small business sector does not “get” safety has been occurring in Australia for over ten years with some of the most useful being undertaken by Dr Claire Mayhew. But the challenge, or problem, persists. On 4 October 2010, WorkSafe Victoria released some information about an OHS blitz by inspectors on small businesses … Continue reading “Small business OHS seems to be stalled”
Last week a 48-year-0ld glazier, Darin Johnson, died after he fell 18 metres from an aerial work platform (AWP) in Melbourne Australia. Johnson’s death attracted more media attention than other workplace fatalities because of where he died. The Australian newspaper has been running a political campaign against the Labour government over its stimulus package of school facilities construction. Johnson died on a primary school construction site. … Continue reading “Multiple sources of OHS info are vital for safety lessons”
On 30 August 2010, WorkSafe Victoria released a media statement about a case in a Magistrates’ Court concerning the death of a worker. Nothing new in that but in this case first aid gains a prominence that is rarely seen because in this case adequate first aid was not provided. The uniqueness of the case justifies reproducing the media release in full: “A … Continue reading “The cost of not having first aid”
It is very important to treat media reports of bullying with a great deal of scepticism. An article in the Herald-Sun on 20 July 2010 is a good example of the collation of new and old information intended to generate alarm or outrage. Werribee Secondary College has had several incidents of occupational violence and school violence. All schools … Continue reading “Workplace bullying needs prompt and concise action to be effective”
The current Executive Director of WorkSafe, Cath Bowtell, has confirmed that she will contest a seat in the Australian Parliament, according to The Age and AAP reports on 6 July 2010. As previously stated, this move sets some challenges for WorkSafe Victoria. The Acting Executive Director following John Merritt’s departure, Stan Krpan, put in his … Continue reading “Cath Bowtell jumps to federal politics”
Most of the Australian media covered the prosecution of the latest of three young men who set fire to a work colleague during their apprenticeships. As the case was heard in a Magistrates’ Court, the only sources of information on the case are a couple of original media reports and the statement from WorkSafe Victoria … Continue reading “Apprentice set on fire, bully gets $5k penalty”
Any optimism that one may have felt over the appointment of Cath Bowtell as the executive director of WorkSafe Victoria may be very short-lived if the reports on the cover of The Age newspaper are to be believed. The Age reports that Cath Bowtell is the frontrunner for a seat in the Australian Parliament following … Continue reading “Safety needs to be seen to be more than politics”