The four pillars of an employer's award-wining safety and rehabilitation management system, which include customised training for every role, have helped retain sought-after workers and drive down workers' comp premiums, according to its quality assurance officer.
The Federal Government's "proper use of worker benefits" Bill could block funding for OHS officer roles and reduce safety standards in a high-risk industry, a Senate inquiry into the legislation has heard.
A special advisory committee has been tasked with designing more meaningful leading indicators of WHS performance, and reversing a construction industry culture where principal contractors are perceived as over-focusing on paper-based systems and blaming subcontractors for incidents.
Spanish researchers have identified an association between four occupational substances, including a commonly-used dry cleaning chemical, and increased mammographic density (MD), one of the strongest known risk factors for breast cancer.
Most employers believe they are good at managing workplace mental health risks, but admit to performing poorly at providing support services or reducing stigma, according to a survey informing a major mental health strategy.
The Fair Work Commission has reiterated the need for employers to obtain proper medical evidence when determining a worker's capacity, and pointed to principles summarised in a full bench decision, in upholding an unfair dismissal claim from a worker with multiple sclerosis.
An appeals court has quashed a finding that being placed on a performance "watch list" and other employment stressors caused a worker's fatal cardiac arrest, entitling his family to death benefits.
Basic and brief mental health training programs for managers can dramatically reduce the sickness absence rates of their teams, Australian researchers have found.
Silica dust causes more than 230 cases of lung cancer in Australia each year that can be prevented easily through dust controls and respirators, the Cancer Council has warned. Meanwhile, an Australian Standard for sun protective clothing has been revised to include minimum body-coverage requirements.
