Browsing: WHS - research & reports | Page 6

A coronial inquest into the "violent and tragic" death of a bus driver, who was set on fire by a passenger, has outlined the "extensive and commendable" post-incident steps taken by the driver's employer and others to improve the safety of workers and members of the public.

Australia has taken a big leap towards banning engineered stone products, with the country's WHS ministers agreeing to release a "powerful and compelling" Safe Work Australia report that recommends the ban, and warns there is no evidence that alternative measures can curb the alarming rate of silicosis in engineered stone workers.

Eliminating physical hazards will not eliminate musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), a leading ergonomics researcher has warned, challenging how WHS practitioners often conceptualise and implement risk management programs for the widespread safety issue.

Workplace hazards ranging from long hours to vibrations increase the risks faced by pregnant workers, but all these risks can be controlled by modifying roles and should not affect workforce participation, according to Australian public health researchers.

• Effective anti-burnout strategy identified; and
  
• Advisory group "key" to eliminating harassment in NSW workplaces.

Workers denying not getting enough sleep, and fearing being exposed as having sleep issues, are two of four barriers that need to be addressed to implement an effective sleep health program for white-collar workers, the authors of a global study say.

Employers need to be more strategic when planning work schedules and rest times to "reduce physical and mental overload", according to safety experts, who found the widespread problem of lower back pain tends to build up across consecutive work days.

Significant amendments were made to workplace health and safety laws in every Australian jurisdiction in the third quarter of 2023, including many increasing penalties and making it easier to prosecute duty holders. This major report - the only one of its kind in the country - examines all the need-to-know legislative changes, workers' compensation developments and court decisions from July, August and September.

The extended use of work-related electronic communication (WREC) during non-work hours worsens fatigue and depression and results in unhealthily high levels of alertness before bed, according to researchers, who advise promoting the "right to disconnect".

New evidence suggests workplace managers can do a better job at screening workers for mental health issues than traditional screening tools, which have questionable benefits for mental health, according to trauma experts from the UK and Australia.