Browsing: Older workers | Page 2

A 92-year-old Italian who lives on a Mediterranean island, and claims his dust disease resulted from a working holiday in Australia 70 years ago, is a "worker" within the meaning of Queensland's injury laws, a commission has ruled.

• Director barred for safety breaches, consignor targeted;
  
• Compliance Codes for silica made and revoked in Vic;
  
• Workers' comp changes introduced in Tas;
  
• Healthy workplaces service launched in SA; and
  
• Cheong gets permanent WHS director role in NT.

A commission has found a major employer was required to consult with staff before removing anti-fatigue matting, rejecting the employer's unsubstantiated claim the mats were a trip hazard and ruling it failed to maintain a healthy and safe environment for certain personnel.

An appeals commission has affirmed a ruling that 33 years of occupational sun exposure was the main contributing factor to a local council worker's skin cancer, rejecting the council's claim that 70 per cent of the contributing exposure came from his childhood years and recreational activities.

Older workers involved in a workplace "senior program" had a 60 per cent lower risk of early disability retirement, a study has shown. The authors say employers can avoid extensive sick leave by promoting strategies to maintain work ability and prevent musculoskeletal pain.

A commission has upheld the dismissal of a forklift operator deemed medically unfit to perform the inherent requirements of his role following multiple surgeries. It rejected the man's claim his employer provided false information for a medical assessment conducted under its WHS management system.

New workers, especially younger employees, can benefit from special training to improve "hardiness" and coping skills, according to researchers, who warn occupational burnout risks have increased with the COVID-19 pandemic.

A tribunal has rejected a worker's claim his employer is liable to pay for his hip replacement, after he sustained an injury falling out of a vehicle because of its uncomfortable seat.

A high-risk operation described as an injured worker's "only shot at ever walking again" is not a reasonably necessary treatment that his employer must pay for, a commission has found, after hearing the procedure would probably fail and could kill the man.

A worker's fatal heart attack, while using a hotel gym on an overseas work trip, arose from his employment, a tribunal has ruled in awarding his widow workers' compensation.