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An on-call worker who broke his leg while walking his dog was not injured in the course of his employment, a superior court has ruled, finding an earlier decision in the man's favour misapplied the High Court test for interval injuries.

An unvaccinated risk and compliance manager who failed to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate has had her unfair dismissal case rejected for the second time, with a Fair Work Commission full bench dismissing her claims around privacy laws and remote arrangements.

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a rapid public health response that included work-from-home orders, disrupting traditional working patterns and leading to many companies adopting a flexible approach on a permanent basis. But remote work comes with the risk of multisite musculoskeletal pain, and employers must look beyond workstation set-ups to prevent it, Australian researchers have found.

In a study that sends a warning to all employers with remote-work arrangements, Canadian researchers have found teachers involved in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced less predictable workflow and less support from supervisors and colleagues than teachers in classrooms, increasing their risk of burnout.

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly accelerated the move to home-based work, and HR and WHS teams need to proactively ensure employees working from home don't face increased stress, isolation and burnout, according to a lead article in the latest Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

New alcohol consumption restrictions covering nearly 160,000 workers, and extending to "work-adjacent settings", will drive a "culture of moderation" and improve physical and psychological safety standards, according to a peak industry body.

A worker's absolute refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19 constituted wilful misconduct and clear grounds for dismissal without notice, a commission has ruled, after hearing his employer's vaccine policy was developed in consultation with key WHS stakeholders.

WHS laws could be amended, and prosecutory functions expanded, with a former Federal Court judge being appointed to review the adequacy of a WHS investigation into the murder of a nurse.

A risk and compliance manager's role included safety inspections and many other tasks that needed to be performed at her employer's premises, a commission has heard in rejecting her claim that she should have been permitted to work from home instead of being "forced" to have a COVID-19 vaccine.

An extensive Japanese study of more than 130,000 workers from 1,400 companies has shown a sharp rise in the incidence of unhealthy weight gain, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia and liver damage following COVID-19 restrictions and work-from-home policies.