A leading workplace heat stress consultant has warned of the effects of "heat hangover", which causes workers in warm workplaces to experience the same symptoms they would after consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, and could account for the spike in incidents during hotter months.
An electrocardiographic study of firefighters during a live firefighting drill suggests there is a need for closer monitoring of workers who perform activities with high levels of cardiac strain.
Employers that don't do enough to protect the health and safety of either workers or the community, or to address the risks posed by external sources like bushfires, have been put on notice, after Hazelwood Power Corporation Pty Ltd was found guilty of 10 OHS charges.
The wounds that can be seen on workers who have suffered electrical or chemical burns are just the "tip of the iceberg", according to a presentation at a major scientific meeting that should influence workplace first-aid procedures.
Australia's highest work safety fine and the offence of workplace manslaughter are being introduced to the Victorian Parliament today. Meanwhile, regulators have issued a fatality alert and tips on working safely in heat and with elevating work platforms.
As Australia heads into what is predicted to be a warmer than average summer, a timely study has found workers are significantly more likely to suffer injuries in hot weather, especially during the first few days of a heat wave.
An employer has committed nearly $400,000 to install remote temperature measuring devices and other safety measures that remove the need for workers to interact with hot substances, after a worker was seriously burned by molten metal ejected from a furnace.