SAFE WORK AUSTRALIA’S VIRTUAL SEMINARS RETURN IN 2016
Safe Work Australia will run the popular Virtual Seminar Series, where the latest thinking, research, developments and best practice in work health and safety will be showcased.
The seminars will be broadcast throughout October, November and December.
The seminars present live panel discussions, videos, webinars, podcasts, reports and infographics, featuring business leaders, academics and work health and safety experts sharing ideas, experiences, skills and knowledge to improve the lives of Australian workers.
For more information please click here
QUAD BIKE WORKPLACE SAFETY SURVEY (QBWSS)
Quad Bikes are considered to be one of the most dangerous pieces of machinery on the farm due to the rollover dangers they present. They have caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries since 2001; this year 7 people have already died as a consequence of quad bike accidents.
The University of New South Wales is currently conducting an on-line survey and farmers and other workers who ride quad bikes are being strongly encouraged to participate, assisting in this way will support the research into the safety of quad bike use in the workplace.
The Quad Bike Workplace Safety Survey (QBWSS) aims to obtain a better understanding of quad bike use and related crashes and injuries that occur in the Australian and New Zealand workplace. Outcomes from the study will answer some important questions about quad bike safety that can only be answered through a comprehensive survey of workplace quad bike users.
The confidential UNSW survey, which takes between 15 and 25 minutes to complete, is on the website: UNSW Quad Bike Workplace Safety Survey.
The survey is open until the end of August and the results will be available in 2017.
THE TRANSITION TO THE GLOBALLY HARMONIZED SYSTEM (GHS) ENDS ON 31 DECEMBER 2016
The GHS becomes mandatory in the states that have adopted the harmonised WHS model. Consequently newly manufactured or imported hazardous chemicals must be labelled in accordance with the GHS from the 1st January 2017.
Safe Work Australia prepared the Hazardous Chemical Information System (HCIS) – an online system – that allows interested parties to find information on chemicals that have been classified in accordance with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).
HCIS includes both hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals where relevant classification information is available.
If you need more information on what GHS is you can access some very good eLearning programs and videos developed by Comcare here;
http://www.comcare.gov.au/preventing/hazards/chemical_hazards/globally_harmonised_system_of_classification_and_labelling_of_chemicals_ghs/ghs_video
http://www.comcare.gov.au/news__and__media/news_latest/new_ghs_e_learning_available
SAFETY BLITZ AIMS TO PREVENT FALLS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES
WorkSafe Victoria inspectors will target construction sites across Victoria as part of a month-long campaign to prevent deaths and injuries caused by falls.
Inspectors will make almost 1000 visits to construction sites from July with a key focus of assessing safety measures in place to prevent falls and provide information to builders and sub-contractors on their responsibility to control the risk.
Falling is one of the major causes of death and serious injury in the construction industry. According to WorkSafe statistics, of the 62 construction workers who have died at work since 2005, 21 have fallen to their death.
The most recent fatality occurred on a high rise building site in Carlton in February, when a worker fell 20m down a service shaft after the platform he was working on collapsed.
For more information please click here.
AUSTRALIAN WHS STATISTICS
As at 7 July, 81 Australians workers have been killed at work in 2016. This is an improvement compared to same time last year when 89 fatalities have been recorded.
The industries with the highest number of fatalities are:
Transport, postal & warehousing – 25
Agriculture, forestry & fishing – 23
Construction – 10
More at: Safe Work Australia
BULLY ZERO AUSTRALIA FOUNDATION AND BRODIE’S LAW FOUNDATION EDUCATING YOUNG WORKERS
Two organisations devoted to educating young people and employers about the trauma caused by bullying have been given a significant boost, thanks to a new partnership with WorkSafe Victoria.
Bully Zero Australia Foundation and Brodie’s Law Foundation will each deliver a range of education and training sessions to young workers aged 16 to 24 and their employers across Victoria.
The sessions will aim to improve awareness of bullying in the workplace, its devastating impact, how it can be prevented, and how it can be dealt with.
WorkSafe’s Executive Director of Health and Safety, Marnie Williams, said she was delighted that both organisations had agreed to partner WorkSafe in the fight to eradicate bullying from the workplace.
“Bullying is a significant issue in Victorian workplaces,” Ms Williams said. “Of more than 26,000 injury claims in Victoria last year, 3087 were mental injury claims. And, of these, almost 1300 mention bullying behaviour as a cause.”
If you are interested in having a Workplace Bullying Prevention Program please download the BullyZero flyer which contains information about the different formats of the program and the contact details.
Flyer: Bully Zero Workplace Bullying Flyer”
For more information please click here
WORKPLACE BULLYING PREVENTION WORKSHOPS PROVIDED TO GTO STAFF
AEN have engaged BullyZero to deliver a Workplace Bullying Prevention workshop to staff of Member GTOs.
Some of the topics covered include:
- What is bullying and what are its impact on the worker and the workplace
- Different forms of bullying
- Relevant legislation and the Legal responsibilities of workers and employers
- Strategies to respond and mange bullying
The details of the workshop are:
Date and time: Wednesday 28th September from 9.30am – 1.00pm
Location: AEN Office, Level 3, 478 Albert Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002
For more information please download the flyer from the following link and if interested register by emailing the Registration form to rozalia@aen.org.au:
AUSTRALIAN WHS STATISTICS
There have been 63 workplace fatalities reported by 31 May, compared to 73 at the same time last year.
The industries with the highest number of fatalities are:
Agriculture, forestry & fishing – 19
Transport, postal & warehousing – 18
Construction – 7
More at Safe Work Australia
PROFESIONAL DEVELOPMENT AVAILBLE FOR GTO STAFF IN VICTORIA
NEW DATES FOR THE FACE-TO-FACE TRAINING
AEN is offering the Certificate IV in WHS as Professional Development to GTO staff. The training will be provided by the Holmesglen Institute as a combination of targeted workshops, on the job delivery and project based learning followed by one-on-one support through coaching and mentoring.
The course is available to staff who need to upgrade from the old BSB41407 Cert IV in OHS or to staff who need to do the entire qualification. (Holmesglen have a number of places for our staff that are fully VTG exempt so you will only need to pay the “enrolment fees” which is a very generous offer from Holmesglen).
The proposed dates for the face-to-face training are:
Full Qualification
23 – 24 August; a block of 2 full days covering 3 units
23 September; full day covering one unit
13 October; full day covering one unit
4 November; full day covering one unit
Upgrade from BSB41407 Cert IV in OHS
24 August; a full day covering 1 unit
23 September; full day covering one unit
13 October; full day covering one unit
The rest of the training and assessment for both options will be completed at individual’s workplace and on-line.
Course fees are: Full Qualification - $900 + GST
Upgrade - $400 + GST
Expressions of interest close: 29 July 2016
For more information please follow the links to the relevant flyer.
Full qualification
Upgrade
SafetyFirst - Ahead of the Action
 Your own branded learning management system not only benefits your apprentices and trainees, it also benefits you as a business. You need not worry about putting your resources out of play for a day or two just to conduct the program. With SafetyFirst's online safety induction training, you'll enjoy benefits such as:
- Assist in meeting compliance - designed as tools to assist managers and supervisors to meet their Work Health and Safety obligations
- Do it anytime - The training course is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Interactive and engaging - easy to use by various learners, entertaining content for a more enjoyable learning experience
- Cost-effectiveness
- Consistency - ability to maintain a particular standard with staff WHS training
- Results – immediate results and feedback that identify further training needs
SafetyFirst can assist you in creating a safe work environment for all your new employees, apprentices and trainees.
A free trial of the material can be found here - demo.safetyfirst.org.au
Learn more about SafetyFirst
 SafetyFirst is an initiative of the Group Training Association of Victoria. Visit our site to keep up to date with the latest Health and Safety news Australia wide. SafetyFirst.org.au
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