In recent months, an alarming number of workers have been electrocuted while installing thermal insulation into homes. Given the growing need for more insulation installers required to satisfy the sharp increase in demand, driven by the federal government’s incentive to make homes more energy efficient, there will be a high percentage of workers who are new to this field, who may not be aware of the serious occupational hazards they face.

Industrial safety barriers have evolved to address a host of safety and productivity issues, and advances in technology have led to a wide range of easy-to-use, adaptable solutions.

Arbon Equipment, through its parent company Rite-Hite Corporation, has launched an awareness campaign to call attention to ‘dock shock’ and ‘trailer drop’ - two issues that pose a serious health safety risk and adversely affect the productivity of virtually every facility with a loading dock.

The discovery of safety anchor systems in extremely unsafe conditions in New Zealand has prompted an urgent call-to-action from a leading height safety industry association.

A recent High Court decision is likely to fundamentally change the investigation and prosecution of alleged safety breaches in NSW.

Optimum Handling Solutions has installed a pallet inverter at a large transport and logistics company. The pallet inverter is primarily used to transfer product from damaged pallets onto acceptable pallets.

Optimum Handling Solutions has installed and commissioned a pallet dispenser at a coatings manufacturer that has resulted in a substantial reduction in the downtime of load-out staff.

Optimum Handling Solutions has installed two SIAT automatic film attach and cut stretch wrappers at a processing plant, reducing pallet film usage to one-third of the previous usage rate.

A recent University of Sydney study has found fatigue to be the most significant contributor to accidents in the construction industry.

OHS risks can’t be ignored by any company, regardless of its size. These risks must be addressed as an integral part of every organisation’s business management process.

South Australian steel-profile cutter Ferrocut boosted both efficiency and operator safety when it recently installed Konecranes CXT overhead cranes at its new factory and warehouse complex in the Techport Australia industry hub near Adelaide.

Komatsu Australia’s facilities cover the whole of Queensland, from Brisbane in the south to Cairns in the north, and west to Mt Isa, including heavy-duty mining equipment such as loaders, excavators and bulldozers. As a major manufacturer and supplier of mining and construction equipment, the company fosters an ongoing program of continuous improvement in safety performance.

Forecasts of extreme temperatures for summer have prompted a warning from WorkSafe for employers and workers to plan their work to minimise exposure in hot conditions.

People are injured and killed when working in confined spaces, despite all of the warning, detection and protection equipment available. Safety regulators all around the world can accurately pinpoint how people are injured or die and the most common environments in which injuries and deaths occur. So with all those statistics about working in confined spaces and control measures, why do injuries and deaths still occur?

Safe Work Australia recently released three guidance publications to help improve materials handling safety in the transport and storage industries in stevedoring applications on the waterfront. The material aims to reduce the incidence of fatalities and injuries in this type of workplace by addressing environmental, physical, mechanical and psychosocial risks associated with stevedoring operations.