'Safety on the edge' is a two-day conference which is being held in three cities: Melbourne (27-28 June), followed by Perth (3-4 July) and Brisbane (8-9 July). [ + ]

Rupture disc manufacturer Elfab has been awarded IECEx approval for its burst detection system, Flo-Tel+, which certifies it for use internationally in the most hazardous environments. [ + ]

Fires in underground train tunnels can be catastrophic because the heat and smoke have nowhere to escape. A new coating for suspension components may help buy the crucial few minutes necessary for the train to get to the safety of the next station. [ + ]

The ACT Work Safety Commissioner has released two new Guidance Notes by WorkSafe ACT on supervision of apprentices in the ACT’s construction industry. [ + ]

Cable manufacturer Olex (a Nexans company) chose to partner with CSIRO to develop the new technology for making fire-resistant electrical cables. According to a CSIRO news blog, Olex has supplied over 1100 km of electrical cables to the Brisbane Airport Link Project in a contract reportedly worth $10 million to the company. [ + ]

There is a link between the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids and reduced mental health later in life. This is the main conclusion of a new study on elite male strength athletes that researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. [ + ]

SafeWork SA and the Environment Protection Authority have completed the first stage of a joint audit of licensed asbestos removalists to assess safety practices at depots and worksites. [ + ]

WorkSafe has issued a warning to check workers’ high risk work licences after fake licences issued in New South Wales turned up in WA. [ + ]

The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has released the Hazardous Waste Data Assessment. [ + ]

Finding the right solution for hazardous weighing practices is a difficult task. To assist manufacturers across a number of industries, Mettler Toledo has published the Hazardous Area Catalog. The free catalogue offers solutions for the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industries with hazardous environments. [ + ]

Chalmers University of Technology researcher Christian Müller has produced a thread with unique optical properties which can be used to create invisible patterns in fabrics that are only visible under polarised light. From a long-term perspective, Christian Müller’s discovery could also be used to manufacture ‘smart textiles’, such as clothing that changes colours based on electrical charge. [ + ]

Yesterday (15 May), the Australian Parliament passed a landmark law to better protect Australian offshore workers and Australia’s pristine marine environment. [ + ]

Safe Work Australia is hosting a series of training and information sessions to raise awareness and understanding of the hazard classification, safety data sheet and labelling requirements for workplace chemicals in the model Work Health and Safety regulations, which incorporates the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). [ + ]

Emergency Services Minister Joe Francis today paid tribute to the courage and commitment of Western Australia’s firefighters while marking International Firefighters’ Day at a memorial service in Kings Park. [ + ]

The risk to human health can be severe in situations where dust is poorly controlled. Choosing an effective dust suppression solution is an effective way to mitigate the problem. [ + ]