tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27362059884372201612012-01-27T07:21:33.416+11:00SafetyAtWorkBlogThis blog focuses on the management of workplace safety hazards in the broadest sense. The issues may be stress, falls, forklifts, establishing a safety culture, human resources, legislation, well-being....Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.comBlogger11671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-54706351907259549582012-01-27T07:21:00.000+11:002012-01-27T07:21:33.456+11:00OHS harmonisation may be dead, so who will pick up the pieces?
One of the best summaries of the current status of the new Australian Work Health and Safety laws was published in The Australian newspaper on 27 January 2012 (not available without a subscription). Lawyers from Norton Rose, Michael Tooma, Alena Titterton and Melissa Cornell, express doubts that harmonisation of national safety laws is possible. They write:
"At this point in time, it looks Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-38824525097970063382012-01-24T10:38:00.003+11:002012-01-24T10:38:32.988+11:00Disagreement on workplace bullying strategy increases in Australia
According to The Australian newspaper on 5 January 2012 the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is extremely critical of Safe Work Australia's draft Code of Practice on Workplace Bullying. The ACTU has said that the draft code has a "fundamental flaw"
"... the failure to address workplace bullying in the same framework as any other workplace hazard/risk."
This is a significant challengeKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-47191880124488198082012-01-18T12:30:00.000+11:002012-01-18T12:30:01.099+11:00UK’s approach to OHS reform is flawed by short-term political strategyEngland’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, has described OHS as a “monster” in a speech to small business owners on 5 January 2012. It is important to note the PM’s comments prior to his monster reference that have not been repeated in the mainstream press. He refers to
“… a great big machine of health and safety that has built up over years.”
Cameron feels that he needs to address an OHS Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-6456049570607314092012-01-17T04:13:00.000+11:002012-01-17T04:13:03.101+11:00St John Ambulance claims first aid training could counter the OHS culture of fearFirst aid is one of the most neglected, even though vital, safety resources in workplaces. Although most workplaces will have someone trained in first aid working for them, this is rarely integrated into a workplace let alone into any preventative safety management processes.
Recently St John Ambulance in England, according to one newspaper report, claimed that
“Better training would have a Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.508129 -0.12800551.350007 -0.443862 51.666250999999995 0.187852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-19945622405942047152011-12-19T08:00:00.000+11:002011-12-19T08:00:00.831+11:00Business silos extend to, and are supported by, the soft professions
Most managers complain about "silos" even though they often operate comfortably in one. Having an organisational structure that operates without narrow parameters of professional turf is very difficult and sustainable change takes time.
Similarly many professions operate in silos and the safety profession is a good example. Rarely does it "play well with others". A recent workplace Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0Melbourne VIC, Australia-37.8131869 144.9629796-37.8382759 144.92349760000002 -37.7880979 145.0024616tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-58224102042150690162011-12-17T13:10:00.000+11:002011-12-17T13:10:27.854+11:00The “head scratcher” in due diligence
I’ve been having a “hmmm(?!)” moments with a wee bit of the due diligence stuff in clause 27 of the Work Health Safety Bill (WHS). I’m interested to hear what you people reckon about it.
Here’s the rub: I don’t think it’s possible to get a clear idea of what it means to comply with the due diligence obligation as set out in clause 27(5)(a); in turn, this means the obligation is, for all Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-83561436837622674472011-12-13T19:09:00.001+11:002011-12-13T19:09:17.597+11:00New OHS laws could change the management of quad bikes
Dr Tony Lower has written an opinion piece in the December 2011 edition of the Medical Journal of Australia (not available without a subscription however a related media release is) about farm safety. One statistic he quotes says:
"In tractors, rollover fatalities have decreased by 60% after the introduction of regulations requiring compulsory rollover protection structures."
The very Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-15636772041174755242011-12-10T17:44:00.001+11:002011-12-10T17:46:26.033+11:00Inadequate risk assessment results in an injured worker and $99k fine
There is increasing attention being given to the preparation of Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) in Australian OHS laws. Amongst many purposes, SWMS should provide a basic risk assessment of tasks being undertaken, usually, that day. Often SWMS are too generic by being prepared days or weeks earlier, often SWMS miss the big risks by looking at the small risks. A New South Wales Workcover Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-83143207798045139552011-12-07T18:20:00.001+11:002011-12-07T18:21:34.801+11:00Labor lawyer raises strong concerns over new Work Health and Safety laws
Yesterday morning, Mike Hammond of the Australian law firm, Norton Rose, conducted a seminar on the harmonisation of Australia’s work health and safety laws. This was the last in the current series of seminars on this topic but Hammond’s seminar differed considerably from previous sessions. Hammond is clearly less than enamoured with the model Work Safety and Health Act, describing parts of Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-13029967357355109732011-12-01T20:10:00.001+11:002011-12-01T20:12:10.927+11:00Opinion to HIA based on estimates, assumptions and unverified data
The SafetyAtWorkBlog inbox this afternoon received a document entitled "The Work Health Safety Bill - Review and Economic Impact Estimates" by consulting firm, Hudson Howells. SafetyAtWorkBlog has been advised that this report was recently prepared at short notice on behalf of the Housing Industry Association (HIA). It may be one of the documents seen by at least one South Australian Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-7994502387376531432011-12-01T20:08:00.001+11:002011-12-01T20:09:52.053+11:00South Australia’s postponement of harmonisation shows the political weaknesses of the process
South Australia’s Parliament has delayed the introduction of its Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act until 2012 by postponing debate on the WHS Bill until February 2012. The instigator for this action was the opposition (Liberal) parliamentarian, Rob Lucas, who SafetyAtWorkBlog has written about previously.
Lucas has issued a media release that states
“The Weatherill Government has continued toKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-29457134470145397652011-11-29T08:30:00.000+11:002011-11-29T08:30:00.663+11:00Quad bike manufacturers withdraw from the safety campaign
The Weekly Times newspaper can feel justifiably chuffed that it has played a significant role in changing some of the attitudes on the safe operation of quad bikes.
It's front page article on 23 November 2011 reports on a considerable backdown by quad bike manufacturers in Australia on the issue of rollover protection structures (ROPS) or crush protection devices (CPDs). (The cartoon is veryKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-60372539498244555132011-11-28T08:00:00.000+11:002011-11-28T08:00:02.775+11:00Workplace Bullying is a significant challenge even if the reality is smaller than perceived
An article in the Weekend Australian newspaper and magazine (not available fully online) provides some statistics that raise serious questions about the level of bullying in workplaces in Australia, with particular focus on Victoria. Of the 2,080 complaints lodged with WorkSafe Victoria in 2010-11
"only eight were deemed serious enough to warrant possible prosecution."
Yet the OHS regulator Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-89491620765062622592011-11-26T17:40:00.001+11:002011-11-26T17:40:49.816+11:00OHS app is attractive but may be no better than a paper system
Over the last few months I have been using my iPad to take photographs of good and bad workplace practices. These photos are usually shown to a site or business manager after a visit so that control measures can be identified. The advantage of an iPad is that no one has to squint at a small screen to try to see the hazard. I have kept my eyes open for potentially useful OHS apps for the iPadKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-2869897698433585482011-11-21T08:00:00.000+11:002011-11-21T08:00:03.594+11:00OHS Strategy to nowhere
Throughout 2011, Safe Work Australia (SWA) has been conducting consultative workshops in the development of the next ten-year National OHS Strategy. SafetyAtWorkBlog reported on one of the Melbourne meeting. SWA has released their report into that Melbourne meeting.
The meeting had a set of criteria for the stakeholders to consider. Sadly, there was no forewarning of the issues to be Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0Preston VIC, Australia-37.7388134 145.0040282-37.7639274 144.9645462 -37.713699399999996 145.0435102tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-46199922348247739132011-11-15T07:00:00.000+11:002011-11-15T07:00:06.027+11:00Work-related suicide gains some fresh media recognition
On 4 November 2011, Victoria's 7.30 program broadcast a heart-rending story about the suicide of a woman who, her mother believes, took this action after suffering chronic pain due a work-related incident and being given insufficient support from her employer and workers' compensation bodies. The story of Rebecca Wallace (spelling uncertain) apparently generated sufficient communication to theKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-40283241614163885862011-11-14T21:10:00.001+11:002011-11-14T21:13:15.874+11:00Australia risks OHS ridicule in the media
The Sunday Herald-Sun ran an article that would not have been out-of-place in the English tabloid newspapers. The article, “Safety regulations taking the fun out of schools”, indicates many of the confused lines of responsibility that English newspaper articles include.
In Victoria, the safety requirements of government schools are determined by the Department of Education and Early Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-33358454699308647732011-11-14T07:00:00.000+11:002011-11-14T07:00:05.345+11:00Some journeys should never be needed
Relatives of people who have died in workplaces regularly complain about the lack of communication from OHS regulators and other government and legal agencies who are charged with investigating an incident. A recent example of this is Ann Maitland whose daughter,Michelle, died in a gymnastics class in 2009, but Ann Maitland took action and the safety level of gymnastics classes, and many otherKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-75317999625374483202011-11-13T19:06:00.001+11:002011-11-13T19:09:45.732+11:00Explosive near-miss deserves safety investigation
There was a brief ABC report from Western Australia on 12 November 2011 about a young man receiving serious burns from an industrial explosion. Information is scant on this incident is the press but SafetyAtWorkBlog has been told that the incident occurred at a drinks after work. As the incident is not consider related to work, WorkSafeWA is unlikely to be involved with any investigation.
Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-79610952775293221982011-11-12T15:08:00.001+11:002011-11-12T15:09:30.363+11:00Australian politician jumps on possible OHS concession from Government
Politics has again entered the OHS harmonisation debate in Australia. Federal Workplace Relations Minister, Chris Evans, issued a statementon 10 November 2011, part of which that has been pounced on by the Opposition and slightly twisted by the online media.
"Senator Evans also announced that transitional arrangements for the model OHS laws have been developed by Safe Work Australia to assistKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-57055235839426616212011-11-10T20:29:00.000+11:002011-11-10T20:29:24.466+11:00Small fine of $1250 but important safety lessons
An OHS fine of $A1250 hardly seems newsworthy but several important issues are illustrated by a prosecution in Western Australia on 10 November 2011, particularly, individual responsibility and accountability.
WorkSafe WA has released details of a prosecution against an individual worker over the fall of material from 15 metres towards fellow construction workers. The media release (not yetKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-46400659468591933722011-11-08T22:01:00.002+11:002011-11-08T22:01:21.980+11:00Australia releases official statistics into work-related injuries
Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in early November 2011 has revealed that 18.5% of people injured at work in 2009-10 received no OHS training prior to the incident.
The basic findings of the 2009-10 data are not all new as a December 2010 media release shows but the new report, "6324.0 - Work-Related Injuries, Australia, 2009-10" does include new data on OHS Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-91308222351358016212011-11-07T22:13:00.004+11:002011-11-07T22:13:44.568+11:00Australia inactive on environmental tobacco smoke
Safe Work Australia has released a couple of packages of draft codes of practice in line with the Australian Government's OHS harmonisation strategy but where is the code that addresses the established risk of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) or second-hand smoke? This is a question that was asked during the recent Safe Work Australia week by Smoke Free Australia, an alliance of employee and Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-63658174363990377222011-11-07T22:11:00.004+11:002011-11-07T22:11:48.603+11:00Workplaces are under-prepared for first aid incidents
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has reported that
"Less than 10% of people are aware they need to cool burn wounds for 20 minutes in cool water as a first aid measure."
Research* published in the AMA'sMedical Journal of Australia, in October 2011, found that
"Unprompted, 82% of (7320) respondents said they knew to cool the burn with cool or cold water but 41.5% said they didn’t knowKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-9425724997728093862011-10-30T11:43:00.002+11:002011-10-30T11:45:05.277+11:00Pro-active safety means nothing
Australia has embraced a bizarre safety concept of "pro-activity" that is confusing our understanding of intention in the next phase of OHS laws, active safety management.
It is essential to have an active safety management system, a safety management system that is not passive. Having a positive duty for safety, as required by the upcoming new Australian OHS laws, means that companies mustKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-70466098832961561232011-10-27T21:24:00.002+11:002011-10-27T21:24:37.775+11:00An example of how safety can be misperceived as expensive
Today I received an email that had the intriguing heading of:
"Do you fully understand what the harmonisation laws mean to your organisation?"
As I don't "fully understand" harmonisation and spammers don't usually use OHS as a spam tool, I opened the email. It was a promotion for an upcoming conference called Supply Chain and Logistics Safety 2012. The harmonisation of Australia's OHS was notKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-53742485286595829172011-10-23T11:08:00.001+11:002011-10-23T11:08:30.931+11:00Victoria risks $50 million over OHS reforms
A SafetyAtWorkBlog article from last week said that Victoria's Work Safe Week started flat and that speakers at some events were unsure of the future of OHS laws due to Minister Gordon Rich-Phillips' unprecedented call to the Federal Government for a 12-month delay.
A spokesperson for the Federal Minister for Industrial Relations, Chris Evans, has told SafetyAtWorkBlog that Victoria is risking Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-58748989206923557872011-10-18T22:42:00.002+11:002011-10-18T22:45:06.883+11:00Victoria is relinquishing its position of OHS leader in Australia
WorkSafe Victoria “launched” its Work Safe Week on 17 October 2011 with a lacklustre seminar about the future of OHS in Victoria but the quiet tone reflected the peculiar approach to OHS law reform taken by the government. Disappointingly the Victorian Minister responsible for WorkSafe, Gordon Rich-Phillips, failed to use Work Safe Week as an opportunity to introduce himself to the State's Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-27166999000425093572011-10-10T08:00:00.000+11:002011-10-10T08:00:05.281+11:00OHS reviews need to leap forward to relevance
Whereas Australia's (seemingly) derailed review of OHS legislation is based on removing red tape, a major focus in England is about
"...putting common sense back at the heart of Britain’s health and safety system..."
Even though reducing bureaucracy is part of the UK review, common sense is certainly the political mantra being applied to the review, being under taken by Professor Ragnar E Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-28811472573485864842011-10-09T16:53:00.002+11:002011-10-09T16:53:55.330+11:00Nail gun incident results in $25k fine and lifelong blindness
Western Australia recently prosecuted a company over an incident where a worker was blinded in one eye by a nail that ricocheted from a nail gun. According to a WorkSafeWA media release:
"The injured contractor was using a nail gun to attach steel holding straps to roof timbers. The nail gun had been purchased 12 months earlier, and came with an operating manual that provided safety Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-89276451151434636822011-10-03T22:06:00.002+11:002011-10-03T22:07:00.622+11:00WorkSafe should explain its role in increasing a small business’ OHS penalty by $50k
In June 2010, SafetyAtWorkBlog discussed the case of company director Peter Angelico and why the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP), following a request by WorkSafe Victoria, doubled the financial penalty over an OHS breach. Peter Angelico is currently working his way through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) trying to determine how the increased penalty can be justified Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-58653908001276915302011-09-28T22:36:00.002+10:002011-10-03T22:07:00.635+11:00Bullying Code of Practice illustrates the huge challenges of OHS in Australia
Australia has released a draft Code of Practice on "preventing and responding to workplace bullying". As it is the latest publication on this issue by an OHS authority, it deserves some analysis.
The draft code has applied the established definition of workplace bullying as:
"repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group of workers, that creates a risk to health and Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-32280343114561603902011-09-23T15:33:00.000+10:002011-09-23T15:33:00.458+10:00There is a whiff of media manipulation on recent allegations of bullying at WorkSafe Victoria
WorkSafe Victoria has been heavily criticised in the media over recentdays about "revelations" of workplace bullying within the authority, a government authority that has the role of regulating workplace safety, a role that includes reducing the risk of bullying.
It would be easy to only look at the newspaper articles of this week but the issue has been bubbling away for some time. WorkSafe Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-60382234264549676312011-09-23T11:00:00.000+10:002011-09-23T11:00:00.589+10:00Religious wisdom on workplace safety
It is rare to visit the Bible when thinking about occupational health and safety but this week Australia's Uniting Church, its Creative Ministries Network and the United Voices trade union released a report on the working condition of shopping centre cleaners. In the report "Cutting Corners" there are many references to the Bible's and the Church's thoughts and actions on labour issues.
For Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0Melbourne VIC, Australia-37.809575 144.965186-38.211024 144.333472 -37.408126 145.59689999999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-47358657353573454562011-09-22T20:29:00.000+10:002011-09-22T20:29:00.163+10:00OHS objectors get support from South Australia parliamentarian
The last seven days has seen many of the conservative speakers express concerns or objections to the Australian government's close-to-completed process for harmonising workplace safety laws. Although one may not agree with the objections, in most cases there is some ideological sense. On 15 September 2011, South Australia's shadow Minister for Industrial Relations (IR), Rob Lucas, launched a Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-29471966523215528122011-09-22T17:25:00.003+10:002011-09-22T17:27:26.915+10:00Safety costs of harmonised laws revealed
The Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) on Australia's Work Health and Safety laws has been released and will be available through the Safe Work Australia website shortly (probably today given the media attention). Much attention will be given to the cost estimates of the laws' introduction but the 336-page RIS seen by SafetyAtWorkBlog emphasises in the Executive Summary that
"While monetary Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-76187334959153881142011-09-13T22:01:00.005+10:002011-09-13T22:01:49.089+10:00Alarmism and confusion over Australia’s OHS harmonisation process
The Australian Financial Review (AFR) on 13 September 2011 is muddying the waters on objections to Australian harmonised OHS laws. The Victorian Government would support a delay to the introduction of the laws until, according to previous media reports, the release of the Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) on the new laws. The AFR is reporting (not available online without a subscription) that Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-22029489862264155772011-09-12T20:38:00.004+10:002011-09-12T20:38:43.587+10:00Victorian Government may be a hurdle in OHS harmonisation
SafetyAtWorkBlog has been receiving several requests for information about the introduction of the model Work Health and Safety Bill into the Victorian Parliament. As the new laws have been “modelled” on the recent Victorian Act, some thought the introduction of the Bill could be undertaken early. Others, for the same “modelling” reason, argued for delay. On 12 September 2011, Victoria’s Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-41326729562613050672011-09-12T20:37:00.002+10:002011-09-12T20:37:20.818+10:00Employer association criticises Australia’s new Work Health and Safety laws
On 9 September 2011 The Australian newspaper reported that the executive director of the Independent Contractors of Australia, Ken Phillips, had serious concerns over the new Work Heath and Safety laws to be introduced in Australia in 2012.
Phillips has received legal advice that identifies serious shortcomings in the new laws compared to the existing Victorian OHS laws. These include Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-5188791042633622202011-09-11T18:04:00.001+10:002011-09-11T18:04:20.881+10:00Free October 2001 safetyATWORK magazine
SafetyAtWorkBlog evolved out of an online publication, safetyATWORK. In 2001, safetyATWORK published a special edition of the magazine focussing on the OHS issues related to the collapse of the World Trade Centre (WTC) in September 2011. That special edition is now available as a free download through the cover image on the right.
The magazine contains:
an article by Lee Clarke on planning Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-25065880265019743482011-09-11T17:14:00.000+10:002011-09-11T17:14:14.399+10:00Peter Sandman interview in the aftermath of 9/11
In November 2001, prominent risk communicator, Peter Sandman, examined the 9/11 attacks in a long article trying to clarify the impact and the context of the attacks. Shortly after the attacks I had the chance to interview Peter Sandman for the online magazine I was then publishing, safetyATWORK. Below is the text of that 2001 interview.
"SAW: As a resident of New Jersey and a risk Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-91027268037973979772011-09-04T17:56:00.001+10:002011-09-04T17:56:37.067+10:00Where is the evidence for the safety benefits of high visibility clothing?
Recently a local council in Australia suggested that bicycle riders should be required to wear high visibility jackets. Bicycle Victoria was not impressed:
Bicycle Victoria spokesman Garry Brennan slammed the idea.
“Unfortunately there is no evidence that so-called ‘high-visibility clothing’ is of any benefit to bike riders,” Mr Brennan said. “Whether the rider is dressed in bright fluoro or Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-47037250896952053582011-08-30T21:54:00.001+10:002011-08-30T21:57:15.568+10:00Australian OHS experts call for a single OHS regulator and a unified insurance systemSome of Australia's top work health and safety experts have stressed, toSafe Work Australia, the need for a single national OHS regulator. Many also called for a radical overhaul of workers' compensation and insurance structures to achieve a combined insurance/compensation similar to that of New Zealand, the Accident Compensation Commission (ACC).These calls were made in a whole day workshop, Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-77853110819904181192011-08-29T11:47:00.001+10:002011-08-29T11:47:00.878+10:00Santos slapped with stale celery over near-missMore often than not people are disappointed by the sentences handed out by Courts on OHS breaches. Even with sentencing guidelines, the ultimate decision rests with the judgement of the Court. The $A84,000 fine against Santos Ltd appears low considering that the incident had the potential to be catastrophic and the company has just reported "half-year profit up 155% to $504 million". (ABC NewsKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-19215673537473062872011-08-29T09:30:00.001+10:002011-08-29T09:30:00.225+10:00Suicide challenges the OHS professionSafety and risk professionals often need to consider the "worst case scenario". But we hesitate to look at the worst case scenario of workplace mental health - suicide. On 26 August 2011, Lifeline presented a seminar to Victorian public servants that was brilliant, confronting and worrying.Lifeline campaigns on suicide prevention and it seems to do this through discussion and counselling. It Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-31100313340258060102011-08-28T17:45:00.001+10:002011-08-28T17:46:53.603+10:00Concerns increase as Australia’s OHS law changes loomConference organisers IQPC started its two-day Safety in Design, Engineering and Construction conference on 16 August 2011. The most prominent speaker on day one was Barry Sherriff of law firm, Norton Rose. Sherriff spoke about OHS harmonisation's impact on the Australian construction industry.Over time Australian labour lawyers generally have moved from saying that Victorian companies have Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-64245725814881136922011-08-17T21:37:00.000+10:002011-08-17T21:39:09.427+10:00Farmer rescued from rare tractor rollover incidentTractor rollovers are far less frequent in Australia than in previous decades due, principally, to major safety campaigns and financial rebates for the compulsory fitting of rollover protection structures (ROPS). This fact makes the near death of a Victorian farmer on 17 August all the more surprising.The most detailed report on the rescue, to the moment, is by Channel 7 but additional Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-68552595631370040282011-08-17T21:36:00.000+10:002011-08-17T21:37:40.679+10:00Similarities between the regulation of the environmental and workplace safetyIn June 2011, Victoria's Environment Protection Authority (EPA) released a revised Compliance and Enforcement (C&E) policy. There seemed to be some similarities to WorkSafe's C&E policy, developed in 2006, so SafetyAtWorkBlog spoke this afternoon to John Merritt, who became the CEO of the EPA in early 2010 after many years as the executive director of WorkSafe Victoria.In an exclusive podcast Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-46462800760464081942011-08-12T17:58:00.000+10:002011-08-12T18:00:10.430+10:00New quad bike poster establishes a safe operation benchmarkIn July 2011, it was noted that the quad bike manufacturers had revised the wording of their poster about quad bike safety. The website that provided an online version of that poster is now under redevelopment. However Australia's Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA) has released its own poster outlining the basic elements of quad bike safety in Australia and New Zealand.The poster Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-72614176226402320992011-08-10T20:44:00.001+10:002011-08-10T20:47:15.717+10:00Politics slows the safety regulation process in Australian oilfieldsOn 8 August 2011, the Australian Financial Review (not available online) reported on a letter from the head of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Agency (NOPSA), John Clegg, that criticised the Western Australian government's regulatory regime for offshore petroleum exploration. The crux of the letter was that WA does not require energy companies to develop a "safety case" for their offshoreKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-69961370613369395092011-08-09T16:02:00.000+10:002011-08-09T16:06:53.122+10:00Fatigue management is getting clearer but is competing for attentionAs a discipline for study, fatigue still seems to be in its early days and this presents a challenge for safety professionals and researchers. Everyone knows what fatigue is because at some time we all suffer it, but try to define it and it is different things to different people.Transport Safety Victoria (TSV), a division of the Department of Transport, brought together three speakers on the Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-7428908911118701392011-08-07T17:33:00.001+10:002011-08-07T17:36:29.447+10:00Governments need to coordinate resources for small business OHS needsThis August the Victorian Government is conducting a month-long event the Small Business Festival. The Festival is run by the Department of Business and Innovation and promises to"...provide attendees with the essential inspiration, skills and information to start, build and run a business."Occupational health and safety does not feature. WorkSafe Victoria, the state OHS regulator whose missionKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-8300119169184687552011-07-28T20:45:00.000+10:002011-07-28T20:46:01.682+10:00Near miss incidents are the best opportunities from which to improve safetyOne of the most frustrating parts of being a safety professional is that "near misses" or "near hits" or "close calls", as some refer to them, are often neglected even when these events are often the best to investigate as no one was directly injured.The significance of the near miss may be illustrated by a court case and penalty from South Australia on 28 July 2011. The media release states Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-3681185157020719312011-07-26T20:31:00.000+10:002011-07-26T20:32:46.275+10:00Fatigue dispute illustrates ideological clashThe Australian newspaper reports today (26 July 2011) of a clash between the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union (CFMEU) and BHP Billiton over fatigue management. Fatigue management is one of the workplace hazards scheduled for a draft code of practice under the OHS harmonisation process.The CFMEU believes that the current mining-related guidance is inadequate.“The Construction ForestryKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-36702013891084591732011-07-26T20:29:00.001+10:002011-07-26T20:31:15.145+10:00Draft mining OHS documents cause concernThe draft OHS documents for mining in Australia seemed like a fairly rudimentary release in Australia’s move to harmonisation of its safety laws but several issues have appeared in the media since the draft’s release.The CEO of the New South Wales Minerals Council, Nikki Williams, found something other than the carbon tax to discuss during the council’s annual safety conference.Although her Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-86500837225647810192011-07-24T12:27:00.001+10:002011-07-24T12:28:43.119+10:00WorkSafe Victoria provides insight into bullying investigationsIt has been known for some time that OHS regulators struggle with handling reports of workplace bullying. Investigation of these hazards requires new inspectorate skills and take considerable time. Investigations of bullying involve people and this is always more involved than inspecting a missing machine guard or assessing the operation of a forklift. However, in an article in The Sunday Age Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-70378279188176121112011-07-23T15:21:00.001+10:002011-07-23T15:25:15.740+10:00Academic clarifies objections to sex workCaroline Norma of RMIT University responded to some questions about sex work and brothel safety put to her by SafetyAtWorkBlog in response to her recently published opinion piece. This article is a companion piece to an earlier SafetyAtWorkBlog article on sex work and safety.SAWB: What action do you recommend that brothel owners should take, beyond the current legislative and licensing Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-48854422350408054852011-07-23T14:36:00.001+10:002011-07-23T14:40:40.967+10:00Brothel safety gains new media attentionThe occupational health and safety of sex workers is one of the most difficult areas to write about as the industry is politically and ideologically charged with matters of feminist ideology, human rights and sex trafficking, religious morality and NIMBY lobbying. In such an environment, it is important that the OHS needs of sex workers not be forgotten.On 13 July 2011, The Age newspaper Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-28980182290551747562011-07-22T07:30:00.001+10:002011-07-22T07:30:00.391+10:00"unsafe" work images in the Adelaide AdvertiserRecently SafetyAtWorkBlog pointed out several instances of the media showing unsafe work practices in images to support, often, unrelated articles. These types of photos are starting to gain the attention of OHS regulators in Australia.On 13 July 2011, the Adelaide Advertiser published the picture in support of a sports article about a soccer and cricket player.Jimmy Okello works as a forklift Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-50814001145058248492011-07-21T21:50:00.001+10:002011-07-21T21:52:08.981+10:00Occupational Medicine provides OHS cluesMedical research rarely provides definitive answers to occupational hazards. What research provides are clues. These clues lead to additional research which, over time, can generate answers and solutions. But OHS specialists often do not have the luxury of waiting for an answer before taking some action to reduce risk and harm and often the clues are enough to take action or at least begin Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-70371153791479036642011-07-21T20:12:00.001+10:002011-07-21T21:50:00.225+10:00The European experience with economic incentives for OHS improvementsLast decade the New South Wales government operated a “premium discount scheme” intended to reinvest workers’ compensation funds into preventative safety measures and programs. Other OHS jurisdictions had a similar authority but chose not to apply it. Since then economic safety incentives have not been on the political agenda. However this is not the case in other parts of the world. In 2010, Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-3292857963976253702011-07-13T08:34:00.001+10:002011-07-13T08:34:01.375+10:00Targeting the most dangerous industries but not those with the most deathsOn 4 July 2011, WorkSafe Victoria released a media notice entitled "WorkSafe to target state’s most dangerous industries". (The title of the media release currently available on-line has been changed from "dangerous" to "risky".) Below are the industries that WorkSafe considers the most dangerous:Food manufacturing and processing,wood product manufacturing,fabricated metal,transport equipment Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-59190897548705600532011-07-12T21:32:00.001+10:002011-07-12T21:33:43.215+10:00WorkSafe media director, Bernie Dean, talks about the new awards strategySafetyAtWorkBlog has been vocal on the need for Australia OHS awards to be reinvigorated, freshened up and re-booted. WorkSafe Victoria launched a new interactive approach to its State awards several months ago with the intention of engaging the community and trying to maintain a momentum for the award process throughout the year.In an exclusive interview in July 2011, WorkSafe Victoria's Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-47031030010300700382011-07-11T14:00:00.000+10:002011-07-11T14:00:08.039+10:00Government department fined $285k over prison van deathIn January 2011 WorkSafe indicated its intention to prosecute the Department of Corrective Services and others in relation to death of Mr Ward. A $A285,000 penalty was imposed on 7 July 2011.SafetyAtWorkBlog reported on the WorkSafe actions at the time but an excellent clearinghouse for information on this case is the website of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Four Corners program Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-28063320547917674002011-07-11T07:38:00.000+10:002011-07-11T07:39:40.883+10:00New workplace bullying reference group establishedQueensland's Education and Industrial Relations Minister, Cameron Dick, has always been a strong critic of school bullying but now he has focussed on workplace bullying.According to Minister Dick's media release on 10 July 2011 the government is setting up a special reference group to examine workplace bullying. A spokesperson for the minister told SafetyAtWorkBlog that the membership of the Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-54319709308849011312011-07-07T15:43:00.002+10:002011-07-07T15:49:16.154+10:00Directors Sentiment Index mentions OHS but……The survey results of the inaugural Directors Sentiment Index have been around for several months but recent breakfasts discussing the findings have generated renewed media interest.The survey provides a useful profile of how directors see their role and lists forecasts of trends but in none of the recent media reports does workplace health and safety receive attention although it is mentioned inKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-89435451559078486302011-06-26T16:18:00.001+10:002011-06-26T16:19:37.200+10:00Media is ignorant of unsafe acts in the photos they useThat "a picture tells a thousand words" appears true in regards to safety as it is in most areas. This is increasingly so in the new online media but what if the picture is wrong? Does a wrong picture tell a thousand wrong words?Recently this blog has written many words about quadbikes and the increasing requirement for mandatory helmets. Many of the agricultural newspapers are now including Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-73162251303034405042011-06-21T20:16:00.001+10:002011-06-21T20:18:22.130+10:00Canada begins developing a National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the WorkplaceMental health is attracting a huge amount of attention in western countries but much of this has a public health focus. Workplace mental health is not getting enough attention even though, correctly applied, this collective term could include the occupational hazards of stress, bullying, depression and suicide.Canada has leapt ahead of most countries by committing to develop a National Standard Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-54280748636517262342011-06-21T20:14:00.001+10:002011-06-21T20:16:12.347+10:00France Telecome's CSR report is telling but sets high expectationsIn 2009, France Telecom's management practices came to global attention as a result of a spate of over 20 suicides that were identified as work-related. On 6 June 2011, France Telecom released its Corporate Responsibility Report that covers the period of the management turmoil touched upon in earlier SafetyAtWorkBlog articles.The document is an impressive document that sets an enormously high Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-15936223205840374782011-06-21T20:10:00.002+10:002011-06-21T20:13:47.808+10:00Farming federation calls for mandatory fitting of safety devices to quadbikesOn 12 June 2010, SafetyAtWorkBlog noted the spokesperson for the National Farmers Federation, Duncan Fraser, supporting the voluntary fitting of roll protection devices to quadbikes in specific circumstances. On 20 June 2011, the New South Wales Farmers Federation's Industrial Relations Committee Chair Graham Morphett has spoken in favour of "the mandatory fitting of roll bars" to quad Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-19296407658588504832011-06-18T14:16:00.001+10:002011-06-18T14:20:01.163+10:00Tasmanian Workers’ Memorial Park officially openedWorkplace safety is littered with good intentions that are not fulfilled but thankfully Tasmania has followed through on a pledge to create a workers' memorial park. SafetyAtWorkBlog reported on the design launch by the, then, Minister for Workplace Relation Lisa Singh, two years ago.The Tasmanian Workers’ Memorial Park, located in Elizabeth Gardens, Launceston, was opened in beautiful winter Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-85510494904991965862011-06-16T20:46:00.000+10:002011-06-16T20:47:16.086+10:00Quad bike poster distracts from the evidenceNot only are quadbike manufacturers resisting the inevitable, they have gone on the attack with posters being distributed that criticise the installation of crush protection devices (CPD)s, safety devices increasingly being recommended by safety advocates, farm safety specialists and government departments in Australia.According The Weekly Times on 16 June 2011, Honda,Yamaha, Suzuki, Polaris and Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-4333995980869863902011-06-12T13:49:00.001+10:002011-06-12T13:51:08.891+10:00Quad bike manufacturers resist the inevitablePressure is increasing on the manufacturers of quad bikes in Australia and from a variety of sources.The Weekly Times newspaper continues, almost fortnightly, to report on the safety debate about the use and design of quad bikes. The 9 June edition has a double-page spread on the issue with many direct quotes from "players" in the debate. The fact that a national rural newspaper has devoted Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-3366590157010022662011-06-09T19:54:00.001+10:002011-06-09T19:55:57.212+10:00Wrong safety messages from Australia's resources minister"IMPROVED SAFETY FOR URANIUM WORKERS" is the headline of a media release from Australia's Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson. The 9 June 2011 statement concerns the positive initiative of new health monitoring for those workers in the uranium mining and milling industries, but it also betrays a perspective that is dominant in the thinking of national policymakers.If we accept Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-91400040986932645362011-06-02T20:35:00.001+10:002011-06-02T20:37:03.975+10:00Will Brodie's Law deter workplace bullying?On 1 June 2011 the Australian television program 7PM Project ran an article about "Brodie's Law" - an increase in the penalties for bullying and stalking. I was approached to be interviewed for the program due to my comments on this blog. I turned down the opportunity for a number of reasons, my time had already been committed to my family and filming did not fit that commitment but, more Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-30539711103553690592011-05-29T18:51:00.000+10:002011-05-29T18:52:51.257+10:00New OHS info on Working Alone and Occupational ViolenceOne of the most difficult safety management challenges is the control of hazards associated with working alone. The most effective control is to not work alone, but the difficulty comes because this option requires expenditure.WorkSafe Victoria recently released an information sheet on this hazard and listed the following hazard control options:Buddy systemEnvironmental designCommunication or Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-79885611185223688042011-05-27T08:06:00.000+10:002011-05-27T08:07:16.041+10:00The Commercial Kitchens Campaign needs further examinationWhy is a government workers' compensation agency promoting first aid when a different agency has had that role for over twenty years? And why do the program's first aid kits contain commercial products that are no more effective in the first aid treatment of burns than water from the tap?On May 12 2011, WorkCover SA launched, in conjunction with the Julian Burton Burns Trust, the Commercial Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-81103385272895018242011-05-19T19:04:00.001+10:002011-05-19T19:06:06.830+10:00Quad bike manufacturers walk out of safety working groupIn early 2010, Australia's Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA) established a trans-Tasman working party to look at the safety issues of quad bikes, often called all-terrain vehicles. The working group is in the final stages of its report and a major motorcycle industry representative has not liked the findings and has apparently withdrawn from the working group. A report on the Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-91027126955232183592011-05-18T15:20:00.001+10:002011-05-18T15:20:00.366+10:00OHS compliance checklistsFor several months some Australian OHS regulators have been providing “Compliance at a glance” checklists. These are not intended to establish compliance, particularly in the small business sector as listed on one regulator’s website, but are more brief indicators of areas for greater improvement.Nevertheless the items listed in the “red zone” of the checklists establish a benchmark of Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-8856112349316852082011-05-18T09:18:00.000+10:002011-05-18T09:18:00.569+10:00Ergonomics advice does not always reflect the realityIt is common for companies to invest in expensive office furniture in the belief that the furniture will encourage the worker to undertake tasks more safely. In most circumstances, this is a waste of money and a major distraction from managing safety throughout workplaces.The safety message is also being confused by some OHS regulators. It is well-established that injured backs and other Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-76049774691349421212011-05-18T04:15:00.000+10:002011-05-18T04:15:00.982+10:00Australian Governments’ flawed strategy on new OHS lawsLawyer Andrew Douglas’ latest article for SmartCompany illustrates the conflicting approach to the enforcement of alcohol and drug policies in workplaces. Douglas illustrates the constant struggle for business operators between employment law and safety law, workplace relations and human resources. Case law has progressed the management of human capital more quickly than has safety management Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-86449719448231938572011-05-17T21:14:00.002+10:002011-05-17T21:15:02.018+10:00Forklift incidents continueOne of the the most hazardous pieces of equipment in modern workplaces is the forklift. Sadly it is also one of the most useful. A recent prosecution in Western Australia provides an example of many of the serious risks in using forklifts:untrained or undertrained driversunsafe decisions by employersthe safety role of seatbeltslabour hire management and staff supervisiondriving with forks Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-4768027773172848222011-05-10T21:49:00.001+10:002011-05-10T21:50:33.546+10:00Farm deaths require radical approachWorkSafe Victoria has reported that of seven recent work-related fatalities, three have occurred in regional areas on farms. The most recent death was misreported as involving a quad bike.In a media release issued on 10 May 2011, WorkSafe's Ian Forsythe said,“Safety's not just about what WorkSafe does. It's about employers, workers and the wider community taking ownership of it not just for Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-60001835559495221942011-05-05T19:59:00.002+10:002011-05-05T20:03:27.894+10:00South Australia drops new OHS Bill less than one month after introductionThe South Australian Government has confirmed to SafetyAtWorkBlog that the Work Health and Safety Bill introduced into Parliament on 7 April 2011 has been withdrawn less than one month later.South Australian politics has been in turmoil since the resignation of the Industrial Relations Minister, Bernie Finnigan, on 22 April 2011. Finnigan presented the WHS Bill to Parliament and had the running Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-56118513678072539642011-05-04T18:57:00.001+10:002011-05-04T18:58:35.954+10:00New work health safety laws in NSW parliamentThe New South Wales Government submitted its version of the Work Health and Safety Bill into parliament on 4 May 2011. Neither the Bill or speeches are yet available on-line but NSW Greens MP, David Shoebridge, has provided some indication of what was presented. Hopefully more information will be available tomorrow.Shoebridge confirms what many expected“The Work Health and Safety Bill and Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-88680079950113994792011-05-02T23:13:00.001+10:002011-05-02T23:15:15.882+10:00CEOs go undercover over workplace safetyThe new initiative of Worksafe Victoria, placing CEOs undercover in their own workplaces, is a major change of direction and should produce a considerable amount of attention.The online campaign, called The Skeleton Project, ostensibly applies the “Undercover Boss” concept to musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) and workplace safety more generally. Elsewhere SafetyAtWorkBlog has mentioned that the “Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-16800387296667835312011-04-27T11:22:00.000+10:002011-04-27T11:23:48.758+10:00ILO provides thoughtful information for Workers’ Memorial DayWorkers’ Memorial Day, or the World Day for Safety and Health At Work, gains considerable attention at local levels. In particular, Australia and Canada have a large number of commemorative events. However, the activities of the International Labor Organization (ILO) should not be ignored and the activities for 2011 are of particular note.The Deputy General of the ILO, Juan Somavia, remindsKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-61007010833118006712011-04-26T20:27:00.001+10:002011-04-27T11:24:28.365+10:00Brodie’s Law on bullying needs more consideration for workplace applicationRecent attention on the presentation of the Crimes Amendment (Bullying) Bill 2011 to the Victorian Parliament has, understandably, focussed on the changes to the criminal code. However some of that attention should also have been given to the existing rules and control measures under workplace law, particularly considering that the proposed amendments, commonly referred to as Brodie’s law, are Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-17937509999655993322011-04-19T05:52:00.000+10:002011-04-19T05:52:00.954+10:00All speakers on OHS conference video should have been identifiedThe Safety Institute of Australia (SIA) has released a post Safety In Action conference video of vox-pops. It's mentioned in this blog as the editor, Kevin Jones, is included for several comments towards the end.The intention of the video is to promote the next conference by reflecting on the previous. This is a useful marketing tool that is not hard to create and, at face value, is informativeKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-4549361858294988602011-04-18T17:54:00.000+10:002011-04-18T17:55:40.461+10:00Online media slams Workcover SA reportOnline newspaper, Indaily, has released a report by DeakinPrime which summarises a November 2010 summit conference on workers compensation. DeakinPrime facilitated the summit.InDaily focuses on the following criticisms, amongst others, from the report:a silo approach by Workcoverthe lack of feedbackinjured workers were not the prime consideration of Workcoverpoliticisation was leading to Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-16731045819253970872011-04-18T17:50:00.000+10:002011-04-18T17:52:08.272+10:00Trade unions enter debate on profits vs safetyThe Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has issued a media release aimed at addressing or countering some of the concerns over new OHS laws expressed by the business community and some politicians recently.Ged KearneyACTU President Ged Kearney has said“Attempts by employer groups to weaken the new regulations are yet another example of business putting profits before safety….. Employer Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-50138675917798878822011-04-16T17:30:00.000+10:002011-04-16T17:30:00.202+10:00Dis-harmonisation over OHS lawsVictoria's largest OHS conference and trade show has ended. The shadow of the impending harmonisation of OHS laws hung over both events. The OHS message throughout the conference was one of nothing to worry about. WorkSafe's Ian Forsythe felt that Victoria was well-placed for minimal disruption as the OHS laws in that State had been thoroughly reviewed by Chris Maxwell QC in 2003. Forsythe Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-45313561663354806992011-04-16T05:29:00.000+10:002011-04-16T05:29:00.839+10:00Workplace bullying gets Australian media attentionVictoria's OHS regulator, WorkSafe, was in the Sunday Age and Herald-Sun on 10 April 2011 over formal bullying complaints made by some workers in their telephone advisory services. The pressures of working in a call centre or telephone services are well-known as can be seen from the 2004 "Good Practice Guide for Occupational Health and Safety in Call Centres" that, it seems, WorkSafe was involvedKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-9459934707219381522011-04-15T17:27:00.000+10:002011-04-15T17:27:00.434+10:00Industry action confuses quad bike sellersLast week, Honda quad bike dealers were supplied with the safety code provided by the Federated Chamber of Automotive Industries. This code outlines research that shows some roll over protection (ROPS) devices may increase the risk of injury. A major ROPS identified in recent reports is the QuadBar, a device that may be “set to become an industry standard” for quad bike safety according to one Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-6041984909417763322011-04-15T05:26:00.000+10:002011-04-15T05:26:01.269+10:00Australian lawyers comment on Brodie's LawClayton Utz lawyers have looked at Victoria's new bullying-related law changes for their relevance to workplace safety management and have found the following."Is this an issue for employers?Yes and no.Theoretically, even before these proposed amendments, certain types of workplace bullying already fell within the definition of stalking. In one sense, therefore, this doesn't change the situationKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-1662401932559281772011-04-14T17:24:00.000+10:002011-04-14T17:24:00.622+10:00South Australia is the first to table a new WHS billThe South Australian Parliament will be the first in Australia to be presented with a Work Health and Safety Bill based on the model National OHS laws. The Work Health and Safety Bill 2011 will be tabled in parliament on 7 April 2011, according to a media release from the South Australian Minister for Industrial Relations, Bernard Finnigan.Finnigan sees great advantages in the bill:“Harmonised Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-44816382542527714072011-04-14T05:23:00.000+10:002011-04-14T05:23:00.822+10:00Beware OHS statistics quoted in media releasesOn 6 April 2011, at the Safety In Action conference in Melbourne, the Safety Institute of Australia and the Australian Institute of Management released the findings of their 2011 Business Survey. The 2010 survey was discussed in an earlier blog article.SafetyAtWorkBlog was allowed to see a version of the survey results prior to their public release next week but according to the media release ofKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-37267201416301558392011-04-13T17:21:00.000+10:002011-04-13T17:21:00.902+10:00Brodie Panlock - the catalyst for new bullying/stalking laws“Brodie’s Law” is gaining considerable attention in the Victorian newspapers in anticipation of the introduction of the Crimes Amendment (Bullying) Bill 2011 in Parliament but it may be unreasonable to label these changes “Brodie’s Law” as, although Brodie Panlock’s suicide and the related court actions were the catalyst for the Bill, the proposed Bill is much broader than workplace bullying and,Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-86189732153647173022011-04-13T05:20:00.000+10:002011-04-13T05:20:00.286+10:00Is this how safety should be promoted?One of the first OHS trade exhibitions for 2011 in Australia starts today. Exhibitions like Safety In Action are the best opportunities for many health and safety professionals, representatives and students to update their product knowledge. It is usually here where one finds out about non-steel capped safety footwear, new fall harnesses or the latest interlock devices. But do these innovativeKevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736205988437220161.post-48261366236769685852011-04-12T20:18:00.000+10:002011-04-12T20:18:00.508+10:00Success from enlightenment not complianceAn article in the InDaily online newspaper for 4 April 2011 provides several safety management issues that are worth pondering. (Thanks to the readers who brought the article to my attention)Keith Brown was the CEO of South Australia’s Workcover Corporation earlier this century. He has told InDaily that he lost his position due to a change in the politics of the state and has not been welcome Kevin Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12447491052424620277noreply@blogger.com0