The Fair Work Commission has admonished a large employer's human resources department and recommended it improve its practices, after a worker's stop-bullying application demonstrated the difficulties workers face when HR isn't actively involved in matters like injury management.
A worker's eight-hour catch-up with a colleague on a work trip broke the connection between her employment and an injury she sustained at the end of the night, despite the fact that she slipped because of a hazard "peculiar" to the hotel her employer induced her to be in, the Federal Court has confirmed.
About half of all manual handling tasks require potentially hazardous pushing and pulling motions. Physical therapy experts have identified optimal methods to reduce spinal load and prevent musculoskeletal injuries from these tasks.
A major review of studies covering more than 270,000 police personnel, including from Australia, has found police are at greater risk of poor mental health and risky drinking than previously thought, highlighting the importance of stigma-reduction strategies and continuous rather than reactive "psychoeducation".
A sweeping review has highlighted the link between prolonged sitting and standing at work and lower limb venous diseases like varicose veins and potentially deadly deep vein thrombosis, which the researchers say warrants intervention.
An international academy of leading occupational and environmental health experts has called for employers of all sizes to take all necessary steps to protect workers in the COVID-19 pandemic, which include appointing an "infection control officer", prioritising higher order controls and reducing exposure to dust and fumes, which increase the severity of infection.
A tribunal has rejected an employer's claim that it isn't liable for a worker's psych injury because its inaction on her bullying complaint was reasonable administrative action. The tribunal identified a string of flaws in the employer's response to the complaint.
A follow-up union survey has found that few employers are taking steps to support workers' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, or have consulted their workers on how they plan to respond if a staff member develops coronavirus symptoms or tests positive to the disease.
An employer's "evident and intelligible justification" for performance managing a worker has sunk his claim that his team leader bullied him and harmed his health and wellbeing by undermining his achievements.
> Indoor work temperature could affect COVID-19 spread; > Workplace consultation key to WHS compliance in pandemic; and > ACT workers affected by pandemic offered portable leave.
