Browsing: Fatigue | Page 25

Bills establishing Australia's "most comprehensive" safety laws for building products and a labour-hire licensing scheme have been introduced in Queensland. The State has also passed laws cracking down on infection-control breaches and improving transport safety.

A worker caught using his mobile phone while unloading fuel from a tanker has failed to convince the Fair Work Commission that his misconduct was merely a "30-second error of judgement" caused by fatigue and the stress of being bullied.

• Fatigue factors to influence new FIFO rules in Qld;
  
• Workplace anti-suicide initiative gets $1m boost;
  
• WIRO calls for end to "secretive" workers' comp reviews; and
  
• Quad-bike-substitution rebates doubled in NSW.

• WHS incentive schemes must focus on lead indicators;
  
• Guidance on new safety duties and fatigue released; and
  
• Three CoR parties fined for one dangerous goods incident.

A company could have lawfully terminated a worker's contract for accusing an HR manager of causing a fatality. Instead, it has been ordered to pay him compensation, after it dismissed him over a "relatively minor" incident several weeks later.

• Text-message harassment sacking upheld by full bench;
  
• Failed overseas packaging contributed to work death; and
  
• Safety category added to workplace awards in WA.

Employers have been urged to ensure their contractors have the skills to manage fatigue, after three companies were found liable for a worker's car-crash injuries and $1.25 million damages bill.

Ride-share company Uber acted reasonably when it deactivated a driver's account after passengers complained he nearly fell asleep at the wheel, a court has found in rejecting the driver's $500,000 damages claim.

Employers are being urged to prepare for the new version of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code, while the Federal Government has announced that researchers will conduct alertness tests on heavy vehicle drivers, under an $828,000 fatigue-reduction project.

Working long hours makes workers significantly more prone to psychological distress and "depersonalisation", a UK study has found.