In a study that could have widespread implications for shift work, the increased use of contractors in the mining sector has been linked to a spike in injuries associated with long working hours.
A Senate inquiry into sleep health awareness has warned that many employers use suboptimal shift structures that endanger workers' health and safety, and recommended the development of a nationally consistent approach to work hours and rest breaks for shift workers.
A "world-first" study conducted for the National Transport Commission, which will inform new safety laws, has confirmed the ability of alertness monitoring technology to identify fatigue-related impairment in truck drivers.
Pre-employment testing for physically demanding work needs to involve an "in-depth investigation" of workers' abilities, including their task-specific fitness and aptitude for working safely, according to a European study on an emerging high-risk industry.
A supervisor has become the second entity to be convicted and fined over a FIFO worker's drowning, after he pleaded guilty to failing to follow his employer's safety manual or provide safe access to the workplace.
Shift work disorder (SWD) affects more than just night workers, according to European researchers, who found the symptoms are particularly prominent during morning shifts, causing workers to be sleepier and eroding their alertness.
An employer took steps to prevent physical injuries through its "no-lift" policy, and to prevent alleged bullying through roster changes and mandatory training, the Fair Work Commission has found in dismissing a worker's bid for stop-bullying orders.
Australia's first Code of Practice for the mental health of fly-in-fly-out workers, which includes valuable information for multiple industries, has been finalised and released in Western Australia. Meanwhile, a regulator has urged employers to prepare for impending changes to regulations for a hazardous substance.
A worker was playing cricket when he was injured to help him transition safely between shift schedules, and did so in the course of his employment regardless of whether he was required to "manage" his time off, a tribunal full bench has confirmed.
An award provision capping shift numbers was designed to protect the safety of workers, and prohibits split shifts from being assigned to both full- and part-time employees, the Federal Court has ruled in an ongoing dispute.
