It is well known that chemical accidents can expose workers to hazardous irritants, but employers need to be aware that exposure often occurs during everyday "controlled" tasks, a study of 18 years' data on occupational asthmas has shown.
Six gig economy companies have been issued safety notices after a Sydney blitz revealed widespread non-compliance with WHS laws, with breaches including the absence of hi-vis gear and explicit health and safety instructions.
Workers who enter the job market when they're relatively young are more susceptible to developing habits that cause obesity and disability, meaning young employees should be the target of workplace health programs addressing the root of unhealthy behaviours, researchers say.
Violence continues into the workplace for many workers experiencing domestic violence and it is time to challenge the "myth" that this is not a workplace issue, according to Diversity Council Australia and violence against women prevention organisation Our Watch.
> Workplace e-cigarette explosion triggers fatal-risk warning; > Company accused of increasing workplace diesel risks; and > NSW WHS investigations standard aimed at improving transparency.
The vast majority of employers will not have a WHS right or obligation to require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, while most workers are unlikely to be able to refuse to attend work because a colleague has not been inoculated, the Federal Industrial Relations Minister has announced on the release of new guidance on the issue.
Injury-causing fatigue and delayed reaction times in workers increase significantly as workplace noise levels increase, a simulation of a noisy workplace has shown.
In an important study for Australian WHS duty holders, US researchers have demonstrated that workers' bodies can quickly heat up during hot days, countering the common belief among employers that workers are safe from heat risks in the morning.
The imminent release of COVID-19 vaccines in Australia will bring new challenges for employers, but determining whether vaccinations can be mandated in specific workplaces will require the same "reasonable and necessary" test as other workplace safety requirements, a senior workplace lawyer says.
Night shift workers are significantly more likely to engage in "extreme" drinking behaviour than other staff, warranting workplace interventions providing self-monitoring strategies and sleep education to prevent the associated WHS risks, researchers say.
