This is the first article in a three-part series that discusses the matter of client legal privilege in the context of managing and investigating safety incidents and outlines practical issues surrounding it.

Responding to death or serious injury in the workplace with a compassionate, ‘human’ approach is vital to minimising harm and protecting a company’s reputation and employee relations. There is a difference between being a compassionate employer and admitting liability.

Accurate instrument calibration is vital in hazardous environments, where the build-up of dangerous substances could lead to disastrous results. Equipment requirements vary according to the materials present, so what are some solutions?

The Energy Networks Association (ENA) recently released the ‘Proposed National Framework for Electricity Network Safety’ document as the recommended approach to national electricity network safety regulation.

WorkSafe Victoria has released a list of the most common injuries related to manual lifting, in relation to industry types. Back injuries make up almost half of all claims received.

Quantum dot nanoparticles can penetrate the skin if there is an abrasion, highlighting concerns for healthcare workers or individuals involved in the manufacturing of quantum dots or doing research on potential biomedical applications of the nanoparticles.

The ninth CPM report contains 25 indicators that provide a range of information designed to help gauge the success of different approaches to reduce the incidence of work-related injury and disease.

Proactive management of problem employees is crucial, as management should aim to neutralise the problem behaviour as soon as possible.

Several important decisions to lead and coordinate national efforts to prevent workplace death, injury and disease were made at the ASCC’s eighth meeting, held recently in Canberra.

The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) has organised what is claimed to be the largest asbestos survey and research program to ever be undertaken at a single work site in Australia.

Changes to the social and political landscape since the 11 September 2001 terrorism attacks have brought far-reaching changes in OHS laws and increased accountability and liability on C-level executives.

Bearcat Tyres has introduced a heavy-duty wheel safety reporting service for the port handling and mining industries.

Mr Munchausen, Mr Resentful and Mr Bully are not obvious members of an employee group. Each character is something of a prototype – a number of employees may exhibit some of the qualities associated with these characters in different amounts and at different times.

Drug Action Week is a national initiative to raise awareness on the harm caused by illicit drugs in the workplace.

The meeting of the Workplace Relations Ministers’ Council (WRMC) in Brisbane on 23 May 2008 represented an historic watershed in cooperative federalism in the workplace relations area.