Safety

Safety and Continuous Improvement

‘George’s Safety Reflections Safety and Continuous Improvement Continuous improvement is a long-term business strategy to improve your business in terms of customer value and satisfaction, quality, speed to market, flexibility and reduced cost. One of the principal objectives of continuous improvement is to increase the skills and capacities of all the organisation’s employees so they [...]

Why have OHS

OHS

George’s Safety Reflections Why have OHS The first fatality I was associated with occurred over 30 years ago to a young, vivacious, pleasant female office employee at a mine site. I was the first on the scene and comforted her as she drifted in and out of consciousness. She died the next day, such a [...]

The 10 most important things in a robust safety management system

Safety Management Plan

Another article by legendary Safety Guru, George Robotham (www.ohschange.com.au). You can find more of his work at here: SAFETY REFLECTIONS George’s Safety Reflections-Number 6 The 10 most important things in a robust safety management system Have well developed internal standards of OHS excellence. Define what excellence in implementation of the standards will look like. Train [...]

What is OHS?

OH and S

What is Occupational Health and Safety? Article by George Robotham from www.ohschange.com.au Good question that I do not have a good answer to, but have a few observations- OHS is the science / art / wizardry / bloody hard game of convincing stakeholders at all levels to identify hazards, assess risk and control risk in [...]

Confined Spaces – safety compliance cost & compromise

Articles

Confined Spaces – safety compliance cost & compromise New Safety Article from Safety Solutions and MSA Statistics indicate accidents occurring in confined spaces have been more frequent and often more serious than accidents in other workplace environments. This is driven by the fact that when things go wrong in a confined space it is difficult [...]

Difference Between Man and Woman

Funny Safety Images

Difference Between Man and Woman Nothing to do with health and safety – I just like it! Although it may explain why men tend to take more risks and have more accidents???? Courtesy of http://www.wanttoknow.info/manwomandifferences YOU WILL ALSO LOVE THESE: SAFETY DATA SHEET – MALE SAFETY DATA SHEET – FEMALE

Passion 101 – Passionate about safety

Articles

Passion keeps one fully in the present, so that time became a series of mutually exclusive ‘nows.’ Another great article from the “Safety 101 = Keep Safety Simple” Series by Ruth Jenkins from SINA SAFETY SOLUTIONS I am passionate about safety. Now “how does that work”? I hear you say. This is simple for me [...]

Major Milestone For Health and Safety Risk Management

Health and Safety

BIG NEWS! You won’t have seen it in the papers or read it in the news but for me its a big deal and I have to share it with you - at around 7am this morning, this humble website had its 1 millionth visitor! I wish I knew who you were as I would have [...]

Free Safety Documentation Package

Free Downloads

Free Safety Documentation Package Limited Time Offer for Readers of this Blog: OFFER ENDED – NEW OFFER COMING SOON – WATCH THIS SPACE Our good friends at Summit Safety Technologies are offering our readers their full Safety Documentation Package absolutely free. This Package consists of 21 programs, policies, and manuals that any organization can use [...]

Media Release – WA Safety Show Success

Safety News

The WA Safety Show draws employers hungry for safety answers Western Australia’s employers turned out in force to learn about new legislation and uncover solutions to workplace safety challenges at the WA Safety Show last week. The state’s largest workplace safety trade show, it hosted 150 safety and materials handling suppliers and ran concurrently with [...]

Why do we miss safety hazards

Hazard Pictures

This is a great resource to use at your next safety training session or tool box talk. Explains why sometimes we miss hazards in the workplace due to focus on other outcomes. This was a very famous experiment to prove that we don’t always see what is right in front of us. Read more about [...]

Work Method Statements – more examples

Free Safety Stuff

We are being inundated with requests for free examples of safe work method statements, particularly for lawn mowing? Here are some really good examples from the The Municipal Works Officers Association (MWOA) Website. Air Jack Operation Air Tools Operation All Hazards Arc Welding Battery Charger Below the Ground less than 1.5 metres Bench Grinder Bleeding [...]

Fireworks Safety Slogans

Child Safety

Today is Territory Day in NT (the only Australian State where the public can buy fireworks) and with 4th of July Celebrations approaching, our readers are asking for firework safety slogans. Unfortunately there aren’t many around so I made up a few myself. If you can do better then leave send then in your comments [...]

Office Safety Checklist and Guide

Office Safety

How many people snigger or cringe when it is suggested that a safety inspection be done in an office? These environments may not immediately strike you as particularly hazardous but there are numerous potential risks in an office, many of which have caused serious short and long term injury at other workplaces. First published in [...]

Publish Your Safety and Risk Related Information

Articles

This site is only a few months old but already getting over 2000 hits per day and growing. We are always on the look out for new articles, tools (our risk score calculator has been downloaded over 10,000 times), checklists, new products to review, quality safety services and consultants or in fact any unique information [...]

Lawn Mower Safety

Home Safety

I drove past a bloke mowing his lawn in thongs (that’s what we call flip flops – not a G string) this afternoon and I had a flash back to my childhood when my grandfather used to wear his thongs between his second and third toes after getting his big toe chopped off by his [...]

Free Bow Tie Risk Assessment Software Download

Safety Software

Risk Support Limited has developed Active Bow Tie for bow tie risk analysis and management system development. They are now up to v1.7 and are offering a free, fully workable download of their previous version Active Bow Tie v1.5. Click here for more info. I’ve tried it but the program kept locking up before I [...]

Worksafe Wants Your Help

Workplace Safety

The high number of injuries occurring during installation, maintenance and repair of machinery and equipment is a concern to WorkSafe – as it should be for you. Employees involved in such work make up about 25 per cent of workers in the manufacturing. However, they account for nearly 60 per cent of machinery and equipment-related workplace injury [...]

Mobile Phones Can Kill – Motorcycle Accident

Motorbike Safety

Sometimes only a picture can get our attention! Her last call was from a new Mobile Phone… Do you see the motorcycle? Now do you see it? The Honda crotch rocket rider was travelling at approximately 85 mph. The VW driver was talking on a Mobile Phone when she Pulled out from a side [...]

Do compression garments prevent sports injuries

Office Safety

All of the manufacturers and retailers of sports compression garments claim that their products help prevent sports related injuries. The benefits of wearing compression garments for preventing DVT are well documented but we could only find one article that provides any “scientist proof” of injury prevention - Recent article from the Australian Sports Commission (see [...]

Balcony and window safety for children

Body Corporate

Window Protection New from WindowSAFE The Guardian Angel™ window guards have been specifically designed to prevent children, 5 years and younger, from falling out of windows. They allow you to keep your rooms well ventilated and will provide you with peace of mind as your children grow, play and explore. Even a fall from a [...]

Balcony Safety

Body Corporate

Balcony Safety Balcony Safety By James Witherspoon Balconies are considered a luxurious addition to your home or apartment, and they often add value to your property. Unfortunately, improperly built balconies may present more of a danger than a luxury, especially since balconies are usually above the first floor of your home. There may be a [...]

Problems with safe work method statements

Job Hazard Analysis

This post was recently mentioned on the Safety at Work Blog in relation to illiteracy being a safety risk We’ve had a chance to review a number of safework method statements during recent safety audits. A SWMS is is supposed to be an explanation of all steps that need to be completed on a job, [...]

Free Manual Handling Risk Assessment Tool

Free Safety Stuff

National Standard and Code of Practice for Manual Tasks declared The Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) declared the National Standard for Manual Tasks (2007) and the National Code of Practice for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders from Performing Manual Tasks at Work (2007) on 22 August 2007. The aim of the revised standard and [...]

Balconies and Balustrades

BCA

Each year, people are killed or seriously injured by either falling from balconies or being hit by objects which have fallen from balconies. Falls from upper storey windows has also led to fatalities. Balconies are used by adults and children for a range of activities including entertaining, playing, storage, relaxing and drying of clothes. Given [...]

Do you really need a safety committee

Safety Committee

Too many companies set up a safety committee then walk away with a warm fuzzy feeling that there will be no more accidents and the Board of Directors can get a good nights sleep. Most of the new safety legislation say that you only need a safety committee if the employees request one. I reckon [...]

Hazard Alert Concrete Pump Hoses

Construction Safety

THE ACT Office of Regulatory Services WorkCover has issued a hazard alert on operating concrete pump hoses. According to WorkCover ACT, it was notified of a fatality in Victoria where a worker died after being struck on the head by a concrete pump hose. The worker was smoothing concrete when a concrete pump slipped sidewards [...]

WA ThinkSafe Small Business Safety Program

Workplace Safety

What can the program do for you? Free onsite safety assessment Group consultation Follow-up visit Agriculture safety advisory service Shed safety assessment program Regional visits ThinkSafe resources for small business 1. Free onsite safety assessment If you are a small business owner and want to make your workplace safe, the ThinkSafe Small Business Assistance Program can help [...]

Developing a Safe Work Method Statement

Safe Work Method Statement

Developing a Safe Work Method Statement Most large organisations procedures state that Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) must be provided for all tasks requiring a Permit to Work. A Work Method Statement must be presented to the Site/ Duty Manager prior to the commencement of any high risk task. Particular attention should be given to [...]

Safe Work Method Statements

Safety Procedures

OFSC releases new fact sheet: Guidance for Producing Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) Do you need guidance to develop your Safe Work Method Statements? The Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner has new support available for builders and civil contractors developing Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS), with the release of a new fact sheet. Designed [...]

Motorcycle Safety Gear

Workplace Safety

[picappgallerysingle id="273092"] Driving into the city yesterday I drove past an accident scene. Paramedics were treating a motorbike rider on the footpath. It looked like he was pretty badly messed up but conscious. Traffic was heavy as usual and unless he was doing something stupid he cant have been going too fast, minor damage to [...]

Worksafe Awards 2010

Workplace Safety

WorkSafe is inviting health and safety representatives, small or large businesses, inventors and workers who have designed or created a safety solution to enter the 2010 Awards. Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE received the 2009 award for Best Solution to a Health and Safety Risk. The TAFE developed the Lathe Chuck Guard which protects the [...]

Go Kart Safety

Child Safety

I took my two sons go-karting on the weekend at public track. The karts were well maintained, there was plenty of warning signage around, our safety brief was very brief but covered the basics. My main concern was that other riders were allowed to wear thongs despite the signs saying closed shoes required.I told my [...]

New Laws May Affect Safety Consultants

Building Safety

Changes to the QLD BSA Act may mean that anyone who inspects, reports or recommends anything in relation to the BCA, Fire Life Safety or Fire Protection may now need to hold a BSA license. Our initial inquiries indicate that anyone doing risk assessments, reports or recommendations regardless of technicality must be licensed. This seems [...]

Recent Prosecutions

Safety Legislation

WA Employee fined total of $7000 for illegal forklift joyride Freight firm fined for hazard Food manufacturer fined $20,000 over hand injury NZ Ashburton court case shows human cost of unsafe work practice UK Rubber company fined after coffee break saves worker???s life in factory explosion

Downside of sitting on our Backsides

Ergonomics

We recently wrote about the risk of DVT to Office workers. Here is a recent article from the Canadian Centre for Health and Safety Downside of Sitting on Our Backsides Risks of sitting too long Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, trips to the gym, lunch hour walks – the value of exercise is [...]

Balconies and Balustrades

BCA

OHS Implementation Plan Example

Office Safety

OHS Implementation Plan This plan should be used in conjunction with other relevant OHS Policies and Procedures documents. In the OHS Policies and Procedures document there should be guidance notes (Why this is important and What to do) for implementing elements of an Occupational Health and Safety management system. There are a number of activities [...]

Behaviour Based Safety

Employees Safety

Real Life Drama in the World of Behavior-Based Safety Article from Warriors 4 Safety by: Thomas Allgood of Allgood Solutions A Behavior-Based Safety Company Most of us spend our days at work doing the same task over and over. All too often, it becomes such a routine that we adopt a “nothing to it” frame of [...]

Classic Risk Management Quote

Events

Classic Risk Management Quote We love to use this poignant quote whenever anyone says “we’ve never had an accident/fire/injury/claim/problem”: “When anyone asks me how I can best describe my experience in nearly forty years at sea, I merely say, uneventful. Of course there have been winter gales, and storms and fog and the like. But [...]

HSE Committee Charter Example

Safety Committee

Name of Committee: Aims To promote an injury and incident free workplace To provide a consultative forum for employees on health, safety and environment matters To encourage innovative thinking and adopt new ideas To ensure compliance with legal and statutory requirements To coordinate proactive health, safety and environment efforts including workplace inspections and system improvements [...]

New Forklift Safety Idea

Building Safety

Some of the most serious injuries in warehouses that Ive been involved in were when pedestrians were hit by a forklift. The results are almost never minor. I saw a brilliant, yet simple and cheap, idea yesterday for increasing the safety of pedestrians in warehouses. After a couple of serious incidents and many near misses, [...]

Coles Contractor Online Induction Test

Contractor Induction

Following a number of serious incidents involving contractors, the Coles Group, like many other organisations, insist that any person undertaking physical work on their sites must undertake their online induction process. This includes Contractors, Suppliers and Demonstrators. The program is relatively straight forward and the test is easy to pass after listening to the presentation and [...]

Safety Awareness Posters

Safety Posters

Safety Awareness Poster And Graphics – The Backbone For Promoting Safety Awareness In The Workplace By Thomas Yoon It’s a well-known fact – promotion of safety and health clearly demonstrates the commitment of the business owner to establishing an effective safety management system. Much careful thought and consideration should be given to this. Promotional approaches [...]

Safety Gear For Women

Employees Safety

This article was inspired by my wife who has been worked in the construction industry for sometime. Her main concern was that she was required to wear hard hat, steel capped boots, gloves and high viz clothing but all the safety equipment available was obviously designed for men. I’ve had a look around at what [...]

Safety Activities For Supervisors

Safety Committee

I remember attending a mining and construction industry safety seminar a few years ago and a senior manager of one of the regulatory authorities suggested “a radically new industry wide safety initiative”. His idea was to collect regular data on serious injury frequency rates and publish a monthly ladder like for the NRL or AFL [...]

More Ways To Improve The Effectiveness of Your Safety Committee

Safety Committee

Yesterdays article about how to inject new life into a stale safety committee proved very popular with over 1000 hits in 24 hours! Since we seem to have touched a nerve, we though we would give you a few more ideas: Change the name of your committee to make it sound like it actually achieves [...]

Workplace Health and Safety Checklists

Checklists

It is a legal requirement to have a hazard identification process in your workplace and safety checklists are a great away of partially meeting that obligation particularly if you are just starting out and don’t know what to look for or you want to consistently monitor certain critical items, areas or procedures. But they must [...]

More New Ideas for Safety Committee Meetings

Employees Safety

Our articles about how to inject new life into your safety committee meetings and tool box talks to make them more effective have been extremely popular. Here are a few more ideas. If you have any others please share them: Allocate the committee a small budget to spend on whatever they want – could be [...]

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