Administrative safety controls over-rely on workers' judgement, leave no room for inadvertence or inattention, and are "never enough" on their own, a court has found in convicting an employer over crush injuries.
A recent multi-million dollar COVID-19 workers' comp case shows that employers need to be aware of the risk of sending workers into high-risk environments, and that their responsibilities aren't limited to the workplace, two senior employment lawyers say.
For R U OK? Day today, a clinical services expert has highlighted the difficulties of meeting work demands during the COVID-19 pandemic, and stressed that reaching out to colleagues can "spark a life-changing conversation". Meanwhile, a safety regulator has outlined how to develop a mentally healthy workplace through the risk management process.
An employer has been ordered to pay death benefits to the dependents of a "subcontractor", whose death led to the WHS prosecutions of multiple parties and $620,000 in fines.
Evolving expectations for employers to act against s-xual harassment, and increasing scrutiny and activity from regulators, are driving systemic change across organisations, a senior WHS lawyer says.
A doctor's role in "one of the most stressful occupations" did not excuse his conduct in bullying and denigrating workers during a complex procedure, a commission has found in upholding a sanction against the man.
A study on the rapid, widespread adoption of workplace mask requirements for the COVID-19 pandemic has identified the need for "urgent action" to protect workers affected by hearing loss from "devastating" communication problems.