Archived News for OHS Sector Professionals

WorkSafe Victoria has announced it has identified 27 separate safety issues at 43 sites following a 24-hour safety blitz in the northern Victorian town of Wodonga.

Inspectors from across the state visited the region in a coordinated approach aimed to undermine the ‘mates-network’ which often warned of approaching WorkSafe inspectors.

WorkSafe construction division group leader, Steve Peters, said tradesmen often called their mates working elsewhere.

WorkSafe to target musculoskeletal injuries

Victorian Assistant Treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips has launched a new WorkSafe Victoria blitz targeting musculoskeletal injuries in a bid to tackle the state’s most common workplace injury.

Queensland seeks feedback on mine safety

The Queensland Government has announced it is seeking feedback from the resources sector on the proposal to harmonise the state’s mine safety legislation with other states.

2012 Comcare Work Health and Safety Award finalists announced

Comcare has announced the finalists for the 2012 Comcare Work Health and Safety Award, with the winners to be announced at a gala dinner in Sydney on September 20.

Bullying inquiry calls for submissions

The House Standing Committee on Education and Employment is calling for submissions as it ratchets up its inquiry into workplace bullying.

Flu could cost businesses millions

The New South Wales Chamber of Commerce has warned the state’s employers that they run the risk of footing a bill of up to $482 million this flu season if they don’t review their health and hygiene policies.

WorkCover Queensland to expand information for employers

WorkCover Queensland has launched its first information micro website for the state’s employers. The first micro-site, construction, contains dedicated news, events and information for employers in the construction industry.

WorkSafe Victoria blitz hits Traralgon

WorkSafe Victoria has announced a safe work blitz of Traralgon in the state’s LaTrobe area in the state’s south-east. The week long blitz forms part of the Safe Towns campaign involves a dedicated team of inspectors visting the regional area to ensure health and safety compliance.

Comcare calls for award nominations

Two new awards have been added to this year’s Comcare Work Health and Safety Awards—the first time Comcare has administered the awards in its own right.

Young men's mental health illnesses cut $3 billion from the economy

A report released by the mental health advocacy group Inspire Foundation has found that mental illnesses in young men is costing the Australian economy $3 billon each year.

Maritime safety bill enters parliament

The Federal Government has introduced a package of bills that will aim to reform the way in which the country regulates all commercial vessels within territorial waters. The legislation will replace the seven existing Federal, state and territory bureaucracies and the fifty separate pieces of legislation they administer with a single national regulator and one set of nationwide laws.

Government announces bullying blitz

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten have announced the Federal Government will conduct a review into bullying in the workplace.

Study of workplace depression released

A new investigation into the treatment of depression is underway at the Griffith Health Institute, with a focus on depression in the workplace.

SA unions support protection for older workers in WorkCover bill

South Australian unions are throwing their support behind a Greens' plan to make sure older workers over 65 are covered by workers' compensation.

Victoria announces crash research funding

The Victorian Government has announced a new $20 million research initiative aimed at better understanding the effects of road trauma.

Chiropractors warn of sedentary work health risks

“If we’re spending a lot of time sitting down with the same posture, it will cause spinal degeneration and joint inflammation that sends messages to the brain to tell it the body is stressed,” he said.

Comparison of Australian and NZ workers compensation

Work Safe Australia has released the online version 22of the 2012 edition of the Comparison of Workers’ Compensation Arrangements in Australia and New Zealand report.

The Comparison of Workers’ Compensation Arrangements in Australia and New Zealand provides information on the operation of workers’ compensation schemes in each of the jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand.

This edition of the Comparison report has been substantially revised and reformatted to improve comparability and readability.

The Comparison provides background to the evolution of workers’ compensation arrangements in Australia and New Zealand, and discusses the way that each scheme deals with key aspects such as the size and nature of the schemes, coverage, benefits, return to work provisions, self-insurance, common law, dispute resolution and cross-border arrangements.

The majority of Tables contained in this report provide a snapshot of workers’ compensation arrangements as at 30 September 2011. However, because each jurisdiction may vary its arrangements from time to time, and because there may be some exceptions to the arrangements described in this edition, more up to date information should be obtained from the relevant authority.

The report is available here.