HIGH QUALITY PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

November is Asbestos Awareness Month which is focused on encouraging Australians to protect themselves and their staff or families from exposure to dangerous asbestos fibres. Asbestos kills over 100 people every year in Australia and the dangers are ever-present as materials degrade and old properties are demolished or renovated, often releasing asbestos fibres which are […]

Working with and around potentially explosive gas pipes, working at heights and working with asbestos are the most dangerous elements of being a plumber and gasfitter while heat stress is also a potential issue. Chief operating officer of Master Plumbers Association of NSW, Douglas Greening told Pro Choice Safety Gear the vast majority of plumbers […]

A comprehensive list of events and campaign either specifically addressing and assessing workplace health and safety, or those related to it. If there is an event or campaign not covered below that is relevant to OHS in Australia, please comment with the details at the end of this article and we’ll take a look. For […]

Being a carpenter is one of the most dangerous building and construction trades due to diverse work environments and exposure to many other trades and disciplines that carpenters are required to coordinate from a Work Health and Safety perspective. Jack of All Trades Executive Officer – Safety, of Master Builders NSW, David Solomon offers Pro […]

Dangers of Electricity The three greatest dangers for electricians are working with electricity, working in confined spaces and working at heights, according to junior vice president of Master Electricians Australia, Chris Lehmann. A sparky since 1989 and now running his own electrical contracting business, Lehmann talks from experience. He told Pro Choice that being an […]

A collection of safety fails from around thew world. Don’t forget to pick up your jaw on the way out. Unsafe working at heights A man is attempting to install an air conditioner. Nothing unusual about that, except he’s working on a narrow ledge about 30 stories off the ground and looking to move from […]

Nineteen per cent of building and construction apprentices report drinking alcohol during work-related hours while amphetamine use in the industry is also at concerning levels. The findings came as part of a December 2012 report and ongoing research project, Safety Impacts Of Alcohol And Other Drugs In Construction by the Sustainable Built Environment National Research […]

Musculoskeletal injuries or ‘body stressing’ in workers is the most common type of workplace injury and a huge financial burden on business. Three-year averages (2008 – 2011) from the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (SRCC), outlined in their Compendium of WHS and Workers’ Compensation Statistics, show that body stressing costs business an average of $68,000 […]

Failure by businesses and their officers to provide applicable first aid equipment, facilities and training for staff may result in serious consequences, according to Safe Work Australia (SWA). A SWA spokesperson told Pro Choice Safety Gear that the level of first aid required in the workplace varied between businesses and that a risk assessment should […]

The decisions workers make when dealing with risk largely depends on their experience, the time available to make a decision and its perceived benefits, according to OHS specialist, Carmel Bofinger. Associate Professor at the University of Queensland Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre and co-author of OHS Risk and Decision-making in the Safety Institute of […]