Much to consider in FIFO worker wellbeing
27 June, 2012 by Nicole Nott and Dr Denise Keenan*An invasion of bumblebees may sound like something best dealt with by an exterminator but for some towns this isn’t a viable solution. Bumblebees is an often derogatory term used to described the yellow, fluorescent-striped uniform-wearing miners who are perceived as infiltrating family-based communities, bringing with them inflated housing and food prices, drunken bad behaviour and lack of engagement with the local community. It is easy to have some sympathy for these townships and communities; however, a balance needs to be struck in order for Australia to remain a prosperous nation enjoying world-leading employment, health and lifestyle.
High Court decision may put workers’ redundancy pay at risk, says Clayton Utz
26 June, 2012Employees of collapsed companies may be adversely affected by the High Court’s ruling that the Commonwealth’s funding of the school chaplains program is constitutionally invalid.
WorkCover investigating fatal forklift incident
26 June, 2012WorkCover NSW is investigating after a 40-year-old male worker died in a forklift incident at Flemington markets this morning.
RMIT sets the ball rolling in OHS program accreditation
25 June, 2012The OHS profession moves into a new era with the first university-level program approved by the new Australian OHS Education Accreditation.
Australia’s best workplaces recognised
25 June, 2012Minister for Employment Bill Shorten has congratulated the top 50 of BRW’s annual Best Place to Work list and encouraged Australian employers and employees to look to these workplaces for lessons on how to improve their own.
Horsham company fined $50K over sweep auger injury
22 June, 2012Following an incident in which a worker’s leg was caught in a sweep auger, a Horsham company has been fined $50,000.
OHS attracts salaries 90% above the average Australian salary
20 June, 2012As workforces across the country strike and headcount is reduced, career prospects in the OHS sector remain strong, attracting pay packages more than 90% above the average Australian salary.
Study sheds light on prevention of heat stroke for outdoor workers
20 June, 2012A pioneering study by researchers of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has shed light on the prevention of heat stroke for outdoor workers in a scientific manner. One of the major recommendations is to link up the Very Hot Weather Signal issued by the Hong Kong Observatory with additional breaks for outdoor workers on stuffy workdays.
Roadblock exercises reveal concerns with fatigue laws
20 June, 2012WorkSafe's participation in recent roadblock exercises has revealed continuing concerns with the transport industry's compliance with fatigue management laws.
Rail safety harmonisation gathers steam
19 June, 2012 by Gillian Holmes, McCullough Robertson | Supplied by: McCullough RobertsonThe process for harmonising rail safety throughout Australia’s states and territories has commenced with South Australia passing the Rail Safety National Law (South Australia) Bill 2011 (SA Bill) through both houses of parliament.
Standards for height safety training
19 June, 2012 by Peter Lamond* | Supplied by: 3M Fall ProtectionFalls cost employers millions of dollars each year in lost time, compensation and third-party liability suits. For the period 2003-04 to 2008-09, there have been 180 fatalities as a result of falls from height, 10.67% of total fatalities recorded during this period, according to Safe Work Australia statistics. More specifically, in 2008-09, 33 deaths occurred as a result of falls from height (39% being from the ‘Construction’ industry). ‘Fall from a height’ is the third largest killer of people in the workplace behind ‘vehicle incidents’ and ‘being hit by moving objects’. Of the 33 ‘fall from a height’ fatalities recorded in 2008-09, nine were from buildings and structures; six from ladders; four from trucks, semitrailers and lorries; and three from scaffolds.
NZ workplace survey explores what’s really under the hood
19 June, 2012Kiwi employees and their bosses will shed unprecedented light on the world of employment and the workplace in The Great New Zealand Employment Survey.
Grocon reduces injury numbers and frequency rate
19 June, 2012 | Supplied by: DuPont Australia Pty LtdGrocon, an Australian construction and development company, wanted to achieve a better safety record than its peers. However, to translate goals into reality, the company needed to shift its safety culture. Grocon’s safety culture transformation helped the company achieve significant reduction in injury numbers and frequency rate.
AMMA urges a sensible policy approach to federal FIFO inquiry
19 June, 2012 | Supplied by: AMMA (Australian Mines & Metals Association)Resource industry employer group AMMA has addressed the federal government’s inquiry into fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workplace practices, as executive director, industry services, Minna Knight reaffirmed the importance of FIFO to one of Australia’s strongest industries.
Deb Group announces $15m investment in Australia
18 June, 2012 | Supplied by: Deb Australia Pty LtdOccupational skincare company Deb Group has announced it will be building a $15m new manufacturing facility for the Australian and South East Asian markets at Moorebank Business Park in South Western Sydney.
