Businesses are legally required to ensure the health and safety of their workers, and toolbox safety talks are a popular and proven step in helping fulfil that requirement. They provide an excellent forum for employers to fulfil their legal obligation of consulting with workers around situations which may affect their health and safety, according to […]
Preventing tools and equipment from being dropped or knocked from heights is crucial, with falling objects the fourth highest cause of workplace fatalities in Australia from 2012–2016, causing 122 deaths in five years. Falling objects are also responsible for a significant number of workplace injuries, resulting in 3515 compensation claims in 2014–15 alone. Factoring in […]
In 2014–15, automotive electricians and mechanics made 1,760 serious workers’ compensation claims, involving at least one week away from work. The median work time lost was four working weeks and the median compensation paid was $10,300, according to SafeWork Australia. With safety risks in an automotive workshop covering many different areas, including hazardous manual tasks, […]
Nearly two-thirds of Australian adults are overweight or obese, with the consequences of this being felt in workplace productivity, lost time injury (LTI) and cost. According to the 2014–15 National Health Survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25–29.99, classified as overweight but not obese, accounted […]
The most common mistakes that people make when applying sunscreen are to not check the expiry date, apply too little and not apply the sunscreen early enough. All of these mistakes reduce the effectiveness of sunscreen by decreasing the sun protection factor (SPF) it offers, according to dermatologist Dr Saxon Smith and the Cancer Council. […]
Many industrial businesses are not taking asbestos seriously, with more than 20 per cent of tradespeople saying they desire better asbestos training. November 2018-released research* and a survey of 1013 people (401 tradespeople) by the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (ASEA) found that only 37 per cent of tradespeople received formal training on how asbestos […]
“The following information should be used a guide only and should be used in conjunction with the wearers own comprehensive risk assessment.” Workers expect their safety gloves to offer excellent grip along with resistance to cuts, oils, chemicals abrasions, burns and punctures, all without compromising dexterity, or feel. To deliver this, glove coatings or “dips” are […]
Workers who have cut engineered stone are being urged by to seek a health assessment after a steep rise in silicosis cases. In September 2018 it was announced that 35 silicosis claims have been lodged with WorkCover Queensland. Six of those claimants were terminally ill. According to an article in the ABC, this may be […]
