The Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER) at the University of Newcastle will launch tomorrow a new Centre for Resources Health and Safety, a research centre aimed at saving lives in the high-risk resources sector. The new centre has been established through a new research partnership, worth $1 million over four years, between NIER and global healthcare provider Aspen Medical. [ + ]

In a workplace incident in Victoria, a young butcher had his hand partially amputated after it was caught in a mincer while he was cleaning it. Amputations are an all-too-common type of injury that can result from unguarded, unsafe machines in the workplace, and nobody wants a workplace accident to happen under their watch. [ + ]

Flame retardants can save lives by preventing or at least slowing down the combustion of plastics, construction materials and textiles. A report by market research institute Ceresana finds that more than 2 million tonnes of flame retardants were consumed in 2013. [ + ]

Engineering consultancy pitt&sherry has delivered a comprehensive inspection of more than 250 timber and concrete bridges in Shoalhaven City Council in New South Wales using its BridgeAsyst software package. [ + ]

Rockwell Automation has collaborated with Australian electrical engineering and manufacturing company Ampcontrol Group to successfully test a solution that detects the impact of earth leakage on mine sites. [ + ]

Australian safety trade show Safety in Action is heading to Outback Australia. The exhibition will take over the Darwin Convention Centre from 19-20 March 2014 and will be a one-stop shop for all things safety. [ + ]

One health-ed video describes the increased skin cancer risk of UV exposure and the other describes effects on appearance including wrinkles and premature ageing. Which of these two videos do you think caused teenagers to use more sunscreen six weeks after it was shown? [ + ]

It is possible for drug and alcohol testing to be conveniently and easily managed in-house, without sacrificing accuracy. [ + ]

Having difficulty listening to conversations in noisy cafes and social gatherings? This could soon be a thing of the past for the hearing impaired, due to technology that cuts through background noise. [ + ]

The revised Australian Standard AS1657 for fixed ladders, platforms and walkways released in October 2013 plugs some serious holes. Guard rails made of rubber, for example, are now explicitly unacceptable. [ + ]

Optical gas imaging camera used for maintenance inspections and hydrocarbon leak detection in offshore oil and gas industry applications. [ + ]

The Working at Height Association has become increasingly concerned about the lack of safety focus directed at the building service and maintenance activities that inevitably follow after the design and construction phase. [ + ]

For those working in the mining, manufacturing and food and beverage industries, employee health is crucial to safety and productivity in the workplace. In these occupations, the work environment can result in 'occupational asthma'. In particular, air quality can be problematic and is just one of the triggers for an asthma attack - which can happen at any time. [ + ]

A discussion on alcohol and drug testing in the workplace is one of the key feature topics at Safety in Action Darwin - a two-day safety trade show and exhibition being held at the Darwin Convention Centre on Wednesday 19 March and Thursday 20 March 2014. [ + ]

At the Australian Drug Foundation, we call alcohol and other drug use the "hidden cost" to Australian workplaces because, for the most part, many businesses are blind to its impact or reluctant to face up to it. [ + ]