Industry News
Hearing loss starts early in construction work
A new study shows construction workers begin sustaining long-term hearing damage in their first three years of work. [ + ]
New workcover ombudsman
The Victorian state government will establish a WorkCover Ombudsman to handle WorkCover and TAC complaints, the latest move in a series of historic reforms to the accident compensation sector in Victoria. [ + ]
New codes of practice and a guidance note for asbestos
The National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) has declared a revised Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos 2nd Edition [NOHSC: 2002 (2005)] and a new Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces [NOHSC:2018 (2005)]. [ + ]
Abattoir succeeds in limiting OHS charge
Major NSW abattoir group Rockdale Beef has succeeded in limiting the types of offences NSW WorkCover can charge it with. [ + ]
Alcohol and fire: a bad mix
Most people know that smoking in bed is a fire hazard. But not many know that having a few beers or glasses of wine before bed can increase their risk of becoming a fire fatality - even with a smoke alarm in the house. [ + ]
Dangerous goods expertise is needed
Many companies use and store dangerous goods. These have the potential to cause serious accidents, frequently from causes not apparent to the inexperienced. [ + ]
New energy watchdog has more bite
The Victorian Minister for Energy Industries and Resources, Theo Theophanous has announced the amalgamation of Victoria's three energy safety watchdogs to form one office - Energy Safe Victoria. [ + ]
Safety and human behaviour
When an employee is injured, is it due to unsafe conditions or an unsafe act? The answer seems to split OHS professionals neatly into two camps but companies such as Pilz Safe Automation believe there is room for both. [ + ]
Employee wellness: good for business
Workplace safety, the prevention of illness and injury, and overall employee wellness are issues of considerable significance for business and communities globally. In Australia, NOHSC estimates that the cost to business of workplace-related injury and illness is AU$27 billion each year. [ + ]
Worker killed after falling into meat grinder
A man died when he fell into a meat grinder at a West Australian abattoir recently. The 36-year-old man was working at the Hillside Meats abattoir in Narrogin, 192 km south-east of Perth, when he fell into the meat auger. [ + ]
Power lines and leukemia risk
According to a recent UK study, babies who live near high-voltage power lines are almost twice as likely as others to develop leukemia during childhood. [ + ]
Tafe centre leads the way for a safer workplace
Swinburne TAFE's Centre for New Manufacturing (CNM) is taking the lead in addressing a training gap in the complex area of machine control system safety compliance, providing vital support for engineers, managers and technical staff. [ + ]
Nail gun injury inquiry
The way nail guns are used (bump firing) and the level of training may be factors to explain the number of nail gun related injuries, according to a recent study by the Royal Melbourne Hospital. [ + ]
'Smart' wheelchair gives obstacles the runaround
Cars equipped with everything from the now ubiquitous mobile phone right through to collision warning systems are already on the road and even more high-tech gadgetry is on the way. All promise to enhance and even safeguard the driving experience but Dr Michael Regan has a warning for fleet buyers. [ + ]
No sport for firefighters
Firefighters in Derbyshire county in central England have been banned from playing team sports during work breaks because they keep getting injured. [ + ]
