Every dollar spent on safety sends US$4 to US$6 to the bottom line, notes a recent 3M Safety Outlook and Trends Report. The report outlines global occupational health and safety trends and also advises that health and safety managers holistically assess the required PPE components and select an integrated solution. [ + ]

Australian workers are fostering an ‘avoidance culture’ among employees, with 46% of people surveyed saying they would rather look for a new job than contend with a workplace issue, while 48% resort to taking days off when faced with a tough time at work, reveals a recent Australian Workplace Relationships Survey conducted by R U OK?. [ + ]

South Australia’s recently completed Dry Creek Railcar Depot has a capacity to stable up to 70 railcars. The facility houses railcar workshops, access pits and sophisticated lifting machinery, where more than 50 operators can undertake train servicing and maintenance activities. Sayfa Systems was selected to provide its Raptor Overhead Rail Fall Arrest system, which offers continuous fall protection for multiple users while providing freedom of movement to all operators. [ + ]

Darwin’s largest family-owned builders’ supplier has commissioned two new three-tonne-capacity Toyota forklift trucks to boost safety, productivity and machine availability. [ + ]

After initially rejecting Endeavour Energy’s application to implement a mandatory, urine-based, on-site drug testing regime for its employees, the Fair Work Australia Full Bench has once again decided against the company, rejecting its appeal and arguing that urine testing is invasive and unnecessary. [ + ]

The newly formed industry group Working for a Safer Australia (WSA) - The Glove Standards Compliance Group, which includes Uvex, Ansell, Performance on Hand, SafetyMate and Showa Best, is preparing an evidence-based submission to Standards Australia to correct a deficiency in the Australian Standards regime for industrial gloves. [ + ]

When the workers across various non-mining sectors are concerned about job losses and company closures, the professionals in the workplace health and safety industry seem to be having strong career prospects. [ + ]

Conducting a fit test to ensure that a respirator with a tight-fitting facepiece provides an adequate seal to the wearer’s face is deemed best practice as part of a respiratory protection program. [ + ]

In a recently published report titled 'Bystander Approaches to Sexual Harassment in the Workplace',  Paula McDonald, Queensland University of Technology and Michael Flood, University of Wollongong, demonstrate the potential for bystander approaches to make a real difference in preventing and addressing sexual harassment as a costly and damaging workplace harm. Read on to find out more. [ + ]

When looking at workplace injury prevention, I often see a gap in between the work done stopping any kind of injury occur in the first place and the treatment provided once an injury has turned into a WorkCover claim. [ + ]

On 12 June 2012, the International Agency for Research for Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organisation (WHO), changed its classification of diesel exhaust from Class 2A (probably carcinogenic to humans) to Class 1 (carcinogenic to humans). [ + ]

When manhole lids get stuck, workers have traditionally resorted to the use of various tools, with the potential to injure personnel, equipment and assets. To address this issue and improve employee safety, Melbourne-based company iota thought of developing a device which would enable workers to lift jammed lids and allow them to carry out work from a safe distance. [ + ]

The Safety Show returns to Sydney this October from 23 to 25 October 2012. The trade show will provide visitors an opportunity to learn about the latest developments and find the latest OHS products, services and ideas. [ + ]

For Simon National Carriers, an Australian provider of transport, third-party warehousing and distribution services, equipment safety and reliability were key considerations for achieving efficiency gains. [ + ]

The patented IC Safety System developed by New Eye Company consists of two components: a pair of IC Safety Frames and an inner Astralon optical foil that includes the wearer’s prescription lenses, offering distortion-free optical correction in all workplace environments. [ + ]