Browsing: Fatigue | Page 13

Two inexpensive workplace resistance exercise programs have improved manual workers' muscle strength and fatigue levels, and eliminated a number of common musculoskeletal complaints among them.

In an important judgment on work journey incidents, in favour of a worker, an appeals court has ruled that the proper liability test is whether employment "increased the risk" of the type of accident that injured a worker, not whether employment "caused" the accident.

The increasing focus on risk reduction measures in work safety laws and practices over the last 20 years has failed to reduce the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, with digitalisation and automation increasing mental stress and muscle tension, and forcing some workers into "machine-paced roles", a major research review has found.

• Workers from four sectors targeted in Vic's COVID-19 blitz;
  
• Coronavirus affecting "tolerance to risk", warns NSW regulator; and
  
• SWA and WA issue new COVID-19 guides and warnings.

• Special coronavirus assessments advised for vulnerable workers;
  
• COVID-19 logistics safety and fatality alerts issued in Vic; and
  
• Pandemic affects work injury claims and claimants in WA.

A union made misleading statements linking a major retailer's cost-cutting measures to the deaths of workers and others in vehicle crashes, but some of these measures, which included potential penalties for drivers who were 10 minutes late, did lead to safety contraventions, a court has found.

Workers who support people in distress are at risk of burnout that can lead to ill health, insomnia and substance abuse. Employers and employees all have a responsibility to reduce compassion fatigue, UK researchers say.

• New WHS fines, bans and threshold for silica confirmed in NSW;
  
• SWA releases 30 new work health monitoring guides; and
  
• New on-the-spot fines for rest-break breaches introduced.

• Mandatory fatigue system and KPIs advised by SA inquiry; and
  
• Labour-hire safety scheme introduced in another jurisdiction.

Ramping up wellbeing and support services, like an onsite EAP, health checks and a "concierge service", helped a major law firm maintain workers' mental health during the gruelling work demands of the banking royal commission, according to the firm's national health, safety and wellbeing manager.