The following is a video and written guide to the European EN388 Mechanical Risk Standard, which was updated in 2016 to make testing procedures and results more precise. The Standard applies to protective gloves and refers to their resistance to abrasion, cut, tear, puncture and impact. Key changes to the Standard include an additional cut […]
A sole proprietor in New Zealand has been fined $108,500 for a breach of workplace safety that resulted in a “completely avoidable” incident which caused serious injuries to a passerby. According to the NZ Herald, tree care business Stumpmaster Limited was cutting down a palm tree when a woman was struck by the falling tree. […]
Australia has a dire road safety problem and the government must urgently address six critical areas to improve road safety, according to the managing director of Toll Group in an open letter to Malcolm Turnbull. In his letter, Michael Byrne, the logistics company head and trucking industry veteran said that more than 1,000 people were […]
Eighty one per cent of small businesses are struggling to understand their workplace health and safety (WHS) obligations, according to research released in November 2017. The Employsure Workplace Safety Index – conducted by Galaxy Research in August 2017 – found that the greatest challenges for small businesses are the complex and constantly changing rules and […]
Hearing loss due to industrial noise such as machinery, tools and traffic is one of the most widespread yet preventable workplace injuries. Hearing damage is irreversible and seriously affects quality of life, contributing to dementia, stress, hypertension, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, a five-year (1999-2004) study of 6307 workers found that workers […]
Dogging, rigging and lifting are dangerous tasks that require high-risk work (HRW) licences and must be managed using the Heirarchy of Control and risk assessments. Dogging: Doggers select and apply slinging gear such as chains, slings, ropes, cables and hooks to attach loads to cranes or hoists so as to move the load, according to […]
Vehicles are the number one killer in the Australian workplace, accounting for 64 per cent of worker fatalities between 2007 and 2016, according to 2017 Safe Work Australia (SWA) data. Forty five per cent of workplace fatalities were a result of a vehicle collision on a public road. These figures may partially be attributed to […]
Symptoms of an allergic reaction to latex gloves can include – but are not limited to – a rash, itching, hives, swelling, a runny nose, cough and shortness of breath, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). The most common negative reaction to allergy exposure is a skin rash which is […]
