Industry News
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.
[ + ]Unacceptable discharge of mercury from crematoriam
The UK government's concern over the toxicity of mercury and the increasing emissions of the element from crematoria has led to the implementation of steps to sharply reduce this source of pollution derived from fillings in teeth, reckoned to be responsible for up to 16% of all UK emissions.
[ + ]Win a set of toolbox videos
Safety Solutions magazine is giving away one full set of Toolbox Video collections (worth $1595) to one lucky reader of the magazine.
[ + ]Employers must ensure safety
A Queensland company that failed to have in place a system for removing by-products has been found negligent for failing to ensure safe access to a workplace.
[ + ]Blue collar means early grave
Manual workers are more likely to die young than non-manual workers, a new study has found, but the difference is unlikely to be due to the actual features of their employment.
[ + ]Maths to the rescue
A team of mathematicians at CSIRO is developing a system that can predict the likelihood of hospital emergency departments having to go on bypass and turn away ambulances carrying critically ill workers.
[ + ]Beryllium register now open
The Department of Defence has announced that the Beryllium Information Service (BIS) is now operational via the ADF Defence Service Centre, Cooma, providing an opportunity for concerned Defence personnel and the public to register their names. Individuals who believe they were exposed to beryllium as a result of Defence-related activities will be offered the opportunity to register their details with the Defence Service Centre.
[ + ]Horse racing under scrutiny
Victorian WorkCover Minister John Lenders has given more than $350,000 to investigate workplace safety in Victoria's horse racing industry.
[ + ]Mobile tumour alert
Alarming results from a study on the long-term effects of mobile phone usage have been published by the Swedish Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM) forcing a rethink of technology that has become so embedded in our daily lives.
[ + ]103 dead from tasers
There were 103 Taser stun-gun-related deaths in the United States and Canada between June 2001 and March 2005, according to an Amnesty International report.
[ + ]Deadly dirt
Following growing concerns around the potential danger of certain potting mixes on the market, SAI Global has issued a warning to green thumbs across the country.
[ + ]DIY turns deadly
The national addiction with home renovation is being blamed for a huge surge in cases of the asbestos-related disease mesothelioma, so much so that home renovators are being warned that even small jobs can be fatal. New figures in Victoria show mesothelioma cases have more than quadrupled since 1982, and Queensland Health figures show the number of terminal asbestos cases has risen from 49 to 1993 to 73 in 1998 - a 50% increase in just five years.
[ + ]New advice on workplace noise
The acting chief executive officer WorkCover NSW, John Watson, has announced a revised Code of Practice for Noise Management and Protection of Hearing at Work.
[ + ]