Employers are being urged to consider the significant health and safety risks posed by sickness presenteeism and to establish cultural norms that encourage workers to take sick leave when they are ill. Psychologists say the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in remote working arrangements are exacerbating these risks, and that employees should be encouraged toRead more
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A UK High Court has ruled that gig economy workers are entitled to key health and safety protections including the provision of personal protective equipment and the right to stop work in response to serious and imminent danger. The landmark judicial review won by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) against the UKRead more
Australian doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers are nearly three times more likely to get COVID-19 than other Australians, according to new research which estimates how Australian health workers’ risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection differs from that of the broader community. “Despite low community prevalence during the period studied, which was prior to the second wave in Victoria,Read more
Presented by Anthony Gibbs (CEO, Sentis) What’s covered? Understand why your people don’t engage with your safety tools, the risks associated with the return to a ‘new normal’ and what you can do about it. The uncertainty created by current events, including COVID-19, has led to increased stress, distraction and anxiety in the workplace. AndRead more
All NSW employers and insurers would contribute to the cost of COVID-19-related workers’ compensation claims under a cost-sharing model being considered by the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA). The mechanism would enable the cost of COVID-19 claims to be shared across the widest possible base, rather than individual employers and insurers bearing a variable andRead more
Great Britain remains one of the safest places in the world to work with the lowest number of deaths on record, however, more than half of Britain’s working days lost in 2019/20 were due to mental ill-health. Newly released statistics from the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) include information on work-related ill health, workplaceRead more
There are conflicting tensions in many workplaces when it comes to employee wellbeing and workplace safety throughout COVID-19, according to Edith Cowan University. For the most part, Australian organisations have excelled in navigating the challenges of 2020 from an employee wellbeing perspective; inclusive of the response to COVID19 as well as the bushfires earlier inRead more
More than one in three COVID-19-related workers’ compensation claims involve mental health issues, according to a new report from Safe Work Australia (SWA). SWA has collected preliminary data on the 533 COVID-19 related workers’ compensation claims up until July 31 2020 (the number of current claims is expected to be much higher). 202 were forRead more
As COVID-19 restrictions gradually ease across Australia, Comcare recently released guidance to help employers support workers as they transition back to usual workplaces. Employers must follow local conditions and the relevant state and territory restrictions as part of their transition planning. Transition plans should be tailored to meet relevant industry or geographic circumstances and respondRead more
Safety inspectors will be “out in force” to ensure Victorian employers that have been shut down or under work-from-home arrangements are meeting their health and safety obligations, the state regulator says. WorkSafe Victoria said obligations include training and instructing staff on how to complete tasks and use equipment safely, and ensuring equipment and machinery isRead more
