In many cases, employers are better off encouraging workers with occupational overuse conditions to "put up with their pain" rather than seeking medical attention, an occupational physician said today.
The average cost of psychological injury claims for Comcare is now running at $75,000 each, compared with an average of $14,000 for all other claims, Comcare ceo Barry Leahy told Comcare's National Rehabilitation Conference today.
Briefings for Victorian employers on new OHS obligations; New claims manual for Vic workers' comp managers; Industrial Manslaughter Bill stymied; Reporting obligations for electric shock and gas leaks in WA; New plan for employers to prevent road deaths.
The key to successfully managing employees' return to work from psychological injuries is to separate employer liability issues from rehabilitation functions, according to a workplace injury researcher.
Employers should review their security systems to ensure they protect after-hours workers from robberies or break-ins following a ruling by the Queensland Supreme Court.
The WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy says substantial progress has been made in addressing fatigue risks in WA mining and warned against a "one size fits all" approach to roster cycles or shift regulations.
Employers cannot rely on workplace safety obligations to justify discriminatory conduct without properly investigating whether there is any real threat to people under their duty of care.
Worksafe WA and Victoria have reinforced the duty of care on employers to implement and enforce sun protection policies and to also be aware of heat stress.
Reducing the risk posed to workers from fatigue involves far more than just restructuring rosters and reducing hours, according to leading workplace fatigue consultant Peter Simpson.
