The growing use of collaborative robots in the workplace may pose significant psychosocial risks to workers’ mental health and their job security, but there are ways for organisations to smooth the transition, according to Monash University research.
There has been a 56 per cent increase in workers’ compensation claims for assaults and exposure to workplace violence since 2017-18, according to a recent Safe Work Australia report. It found that there were 53,139 accepted workers’ compensation claims for being assaulted and 12,721 accepted claims for exposure to workplace or occupational violence over the past 10 years.
Although most businesses strive to do the right thing by their employees and reduce psychosocial risks, the complexity of this task means most organisations are still struggling to comprehensively address workplace mental health challenges, according to the Black Dog Institute.
Despite economic headwinds, the HSE job market in Australia has remained remarkably resilient compared to other sectors, according to The Safe Step’s latest HSE Job Opportunities Index. While HSE job opportunities have softened, they remain 58 per cent higher than five years ago (well above pre-COVID levels). Queensland now holds the second-largest share of HSE job opportunities, at 27 per cent, driven by significant investments in infrastructure, energy projects, and resources.
Australia Post recently urged dog owners to properly secure their dogs as it revealed that more than 55 posties have fallen victim to dog-related incidents every working week. Despite Australia Post’s pleas for more action from dog owners, more than 1420 dog-related incidents have occurred in Australia in the past six months. While no dog breed is more likely to attack than another, Australia Post said it is increasingly seeing smaller dogs that show aggressive behaviour.
It is important not to pretend that there is zero risk of an adverse outcome when it comes to managing and minimising risk, unless there is actually no exposure to the hazard that creates a risk, according to an academic expert in OHS risk management.
Multiple WHS regulators have issued safety reminders and alerts to the farming sector as recent data shows March and November are peak months for workplace fatalities in agriculture, corresponding with the busy sowing and harvest seasons. A particular risk faced by farmers during these seasons is fatigue, which can play a significant role in contributing to workplace incidents on farms.
While fall prevention has been a significant focus in many organisations for a long time, the effectiveness and success of different approaches to address fall risks varies significantly. There are several reasons why different approaches to fall prevention are more (or less) successful, according to Scott Barber, CEO of the Working at Heights Association (WAHA).
Many organisations are unprepared for natural hazards, according to an area expert who said WHS professionals play a key role in resilience and recovery in the face of unexpected events. “Unfortunately, many organisations are not well prepared for the occurrence of natural hazards,” said Andrew Gissing, CEO of Natural Hazards Research Australia.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland recently issued a safety alert highlighting the risks associated with delivering concrete to mobile and static concrete pumps in the construction industry. The alert was issued following several recent incidents involving concrete delivery to pumps, which have caused actual and the potential for serious injuries.
