Workplace bullying is a major concern for companies and remains a serious issue in Australia. If left unchecked, workplace bullying can lead to significant consequences such as reduced productivity, physical and mental health problems, increased absenteeism and at its worst workers compensation claims, legal action and lawsuits. What is workplace bullying? Bullying is the repeated […]
Worrying levels of bullying and harassment A report of psychological safety climate and worker health in Australia (the Australian Workplace Barometer project) found a serious concern regarding the levels of workplace bullying and harassment1. The results are particularly alarming for women as they report significantly higher levels of bullying and for significantly longer periods of […]
Silica dust exposure and silicosis have become an increasing concern in the construction and stone manufacturing industry, and its effects are often fatal. One Brisbane physician Dr. Graeme Edwards who has tested the lungs of hundreds of stone workers, said: “From a clinician’s perspective this is worse than asbestos, because asbestos affects people at the […]
Manual handling may seem low risk to most employers, but it is actually the leading cause of injury in the workplace. In 2018-19, Safe Work Australia identified musculoskeletal disorders to be the most common mechanism leading to a serious workers’ compensation claim, accounting for 87% of all serious claims*. Of these, the most frequent were […]
Manual handling injury and work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) can occur anywhere in the workplace no matter what industry you are in. It is the most common type of injury experienced in the workplace and can have serious consequences for the person who has been injured. Work Health and Safety regulations states that employers have a […]
Vehicles such as powered mobile plant, forklift and trucks are increasingly familiar and essential in countless workplaces. Yet managing the safe movement of these vehicles is something that many employers can easily overlook. Vehicle accidents are frequently linked with injuries and death to pedestrians in the workplace. In 2019, Safe Work Australia reported that 46% of […]
Employers are obligated to manage their worker’s mental safety as well as their physical safety. Safe Work Australia states that “Work related mental health conditions (also known as psychological injuries) have become a major concern in Australian workplaces due to the negative impact on individual employees, and the costs associated with the long periods away from work that […]
A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is a document that identifies the high risk construction work activities that is to be carried out at a workplace, and the measures that will be put in place to control the risks. A SWMS must be prepared before any high risk construction work starts, and it is an […]
The term “Fit to Work” refers to workers’ responsibility for their own physical health and their ability to be fit and well enough to do their job. Being unfit for work can lead to workers making mistakes in their work, have an impact on their safety and increase the likelihood of accidents in the workplace. […]
We use so many electrical appliances every day, that often we do not give them a second thought. However, we must give a high priority to electrical safety because we work with them so frequently in our workplaces. Moreover, electricity is dangerous because the threats are unseen and are not immediately obvious. The main hazards […]
