Browsing: Emerging risks | Page 66

An independent report on New Zealand's "ineffective" OHS regime - prompted by the Pike River Coal Mine tragedy - has called for the adoption of the Australian concept of the PCBU, and outlined 13 "prerequisites" for a high-functioning safety regulatory system.

With the model WHS Act requiring company officers to keep abreast of emerging issues, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has released a timely report on the possible risks associated with "green jobs".

Western Australian employer fined over death after string of drum explosions; Employers urged to train young workers to voice OHS concerns; Workplace flu vaccinations critical with epidemic looming; South Australian workers urged to promote OHS in online campaign; and Tasmanian safety awards open.

Workers who are exposed to industrial cleaning products and latex are at risk of developing asthma, even if they never suffered from the disease as a child, an Australian study has found.

FSC stresses importance of reporting near misses; and Essential safety news from Western Australia and four other jurisdictions.

Two new studies on nanotechnology have outlined how to control emissions resulting from the machining of composites - that do or don't contain nanomaterials - and avoid explosions involving metal nanopowders, which have caused workplace deaths.

Employers warned to be wary of early, severe flu season; and Mice-tumour study raises further concerns over workplace nanomaterials.

The AWU has warned that billions of dollars are being pumped into the development of new applications for hazardous nanomaterials without properly investigating the risks to workers and others. Also in this article, regulators have issued health and safety advice and warnings on the use of mobile phones.

The slapdash evacuation of a NSW coal mine following a methane explosion - which came close to killing 47 employees - has highlighted how vital it is for employers to develop and train workers in comprehensive emergency-response procedures.

Workplace Facebook policies vital for "plugging" gaps; and Essential safety news from SA, ACT, NSW, NT, WA, Vic and Qld.