Articles
Sheet metal manufacturer slashes cut injuries
Sheet metal manufacturer says equipment trials, communication and the alignment of every task to the appropriate PPE are key to improving safety performance. [ + ]
New light on asbestos risks
Scientists are coming up with new ways to assess the risk of exposure to asbestos, leading to improved management of sites contaminated with the potentially lethal material. [ + ]
Construction company addresses mental health issues
Resource contractor Ostwald Bros has taken a major step to address mental health issues for the benefit of its construction workers using the Mates in Construction (MIC) program across its sites. [ + ]
Oxygen reduction system to prevent fire at hospital
The FirePass Oxygen Reduced Fire Prevention system was installed recently at the Sydney Adventist Hospital (SAH) located in Wahroonga on Sydney’s north shore. The system has the unique ability to create an environment of breathable, controlled oxygen-reduced air that prevents fire ignition. [ + ]
Turn your phone into a lifesaver
In the lead-up to World first Aid Day (14 September), Red Cross has released a free First Aid App to make learning First Aid on the go an easy option for smartphone users. [ + ]
Peninsula link project guarded on time
The modular, no-weld Moddex balustrade and guardrail system was used at the Peninsula Link Project in Victoria for a wide range of sloping and curved pathways and many sections of unlaid concreting under a tight install deadline. [ + ]
WASPs let loose in underground mines
CSIRO has developed the Wireless Ad hoc System for Positioning (WASP) which can track people and objects to an accuracy of about half a metre where traditional technologies do not work and clear reception of radio signals is difficult. It has now been commercialised by mining communication company Minetec and incorporated into its Trax+Tags II suite for applications in underground mines. [ + ]
Protect outdoor workers from deadly risks
Without protection, outdoor workers in Australia are at serious risk of being bitten by harmful animals with the potential of serious injury or worse. This article explains how products such as HexArmor, Bushman and Para’Kito from the Blackwoods range can provide workers with protection from these risks. [ + ]
Construction helmet to protect workers from CO poisoning
Researchers at Virginia Tech have won a 'Best Paper Award' from a prestigious scientific and engineering community for their helmet that is designed to protect construction workers from carbon monoxide poisoning. [ + ]
Protecting hands in the automotive industry
After a terrible injury at its Geelong plant, in which a worker sliced his hand severely, metal manufacturer Backwell IXL overhauled procedures across its entire operation to better protect employees. [ + ]
Time for OHS regulators to get off the bench and into the game
To date, Victoria's workplace health and safety regulator, WorkSafe Victoria, has chosen not to investigate events at the Essendon Football Club, choosing instead to keep its options open as other "more appropriate bodies" look into the issue. [ + ]
Study identifies dermatitis risk for cleaners
A New Zealand study of occupational dermatitis in cleaners has found rates of eczema among them nearly twice that of people not exposed to cleaning agents. [ + ]
When you need to be seen - hi-vis on safety helmets
The importance of protecting employees and providing a safe work environment has seen an increase in the use of reflective and high-visibility tapes. Whether it is on work clothing or personal protective equipment (PPE), it is a common requirement and practice. [ + ]
Making life easier for truck drivers
Engineers at Oregon State University are studying a new approach to organise and route truck transportation that could save millions of dollars, improve the quality of life for thousands of truck drivers and make freight transportation far more efficient. [ + ]
Glove shows its true colours
In the future, employees exposed to risks will only have to put on a glove in order to receive a toxic substance warning. A textile has been developed that identifies poisonous substances and turns blue in the presence of hazardous substances. [ + ]