Archived News for OHS Sector Professionals
WorkSafe Victoria has published a new industry standard for managing safety in the civil construction industry.
A guide to managing safety: Civil Construction Industry Standard covers:
- earthmoving and infrastructure construction, maintenance and refurbishment works;
- works at greenfield and short term sites; and
- supply, acquisition and disposal, inspection, maintenance, registration and safe operation of powered mobile plant and equipment.
The guide is available here.
NSW seeks feedback on asbestos plan
The New South Wales Government is calling for public comment on a draft asbestos plan aimed at improving management and handling of asbestos in the community.
Faster Assessment of the Impact of Industrial Chemicals
A new framework to provide a faster, more flexible and transparent approach to assessing the impact of industrial chemicals on human health and the environment has been launched by the Federal Government.
The Inventory Multi-tiered Assessment and Prioritisation (IMAP) framework has been designed to accelerate the assessment of industrial chemicals..
It uses a staged approach to look at the impact of unassessed industrial chemicals listed on Australia’s national inventory, the Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances (AICS).
The framework has been developed by the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS), the Australian Government regulator for industrial chemicals, in consultation with community, industry and government stakeholder groups.
The IMAP framework will be implemented in stages. Stage one which began on 1 July this year, will run over four years and see the assessment of about 3,000 chemicals on Australia’s national inventory that have been identified as priorities for early consideration.
They are chemicals for which NICNAS already holds information about their quantity or use in Australia, chemicals identified as a concern or for which regulatory action has been taken overseas, and chemicals reported in international studies analysing the blood in babies’ umbilical cords.
Stage one will also include an external review of the framework, which is expected to make recommendations on the most efficient and effective approach to assessing and prioritising the remainder of the chemicals on the national inventory.
Cancer scare at PWCS
Port Waratah Coal Services (PWCS) have released the results of a long-running study into the carcinogenic effects of coal mining in response to growing concerns raised by the employees over the prevelance of cancer rates in the workforce.
Issues Paper on Working Safely on the Waterfront now open for public comment
Safe Work Australia released an Issues Paper on Friday for the review of the national guidance material – Working Safely on the Waterfront which is now open for public comment.
Study finds nurses believe violence is part of their job
A new study conducted at the Lyell McEwin Hospital found nurses believe they must accept violence as part of their job.
Too much food, too little balance finds AIHW
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has published a report that indicates that Australia’s are eating too much of some foods and too little of others, with people consuming a higher percentage of their daily energy intake in the form of sugary or fatty foods.
Government to launch QuadWatch safety network
The Federal Government has announced that it will work co-operatively with farming and community organisations to halt the growing number of Quad bike related deaths.
NTC calls for comment on dangerous goods transport framework
The National Transport Commission is calling for comment on proposed changes of transport of dangerous goods regulatory framework, saying that while governance is well-established, further improvements are needed according to a review released by commission.
VMIA develops first public risk management diploma
The Victorian Managed Insurance Authority and the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) have co-developed the country’s first Diploma of Integrated Risk Management targeted specifically at the country’s public sector.
Doctors working excessive hours
Australian doctors are working ‘unsafe’ shifts in the country’s public hospitals, according to an audit of hospital working conditions for doctors released by the Australian Medical Association (AMA).
NSW and Victoria launch farm safety blitz
WorkCover NSW and WorkSafe Victoria have both used National Farm Safety Week to redouble their efforts to ensure workplace health and safety obligations are followed by farmers.
Chronic disease study reveals diabetes rates in Victoria
Results of a survey released by the Victorian Health Intelligence Unit show that around one in 20 adult Victorians has diabetes.
Flu season the worst in years
The Influenza Specialist Group (ISG) has warned that this year’s flu season is shaping up to be the worst in a number of years, with a particularly virulent strain of the disease seeing the number of people contracting influenza double compared to the same time last year.
Tasmania publishes child labour law review
Workplace Standards Tasmania has published the first report of the review into the state’s child labour laws.
Workplace bullying committee hits the road
The Education and Employment Committee, the body charged with carrying out the Prime Minister’s demand for an inquiry into workplace bullying, has announced it will travel to Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart over the coming days to hear from the community.
NSW Opposition launches petition against compensation changes
The New South Wales Labor Opposition has launched a petition against the State Government’s cuts to workers compensation.
SA announces WHS research grants
The South Australian Government has announced applications are now open vor the SafeWork SA WHS Commissioned Research Grant Programme, aimed at improving work health and safety (WHS) outcomes throughout the state.
ATSB to take in safety oversight of metropolitan rail services
From 1 January 2013, Australia's national transport safety investigator, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), will take responsibility for investigating safety events on the metropolitan passenger and freight rail networks across Australia.
John Holland and Thiess commit to research spend after tollway incident
Two of Australia’s biggest construction companies have entered in to a $225,000 enforceable undertaking after two concrete panels, each weighting 11.3 tonnes, fell from a contractor’s truck in October 2006.