755 chemicals were added to Australia's Hazardous Chemical Information System (HCIS) in May this year.  Another 672 substances had their classifications amended. The HCIS provides information on chemicals that have been classified in accordance with Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals for manufacturers, importers, suppliers and end users.

One in five Australian workers is currently experiencing a mental illness1. This means that the impact of mental illness in the workplace is going to be significant in terms of lost productivity, turnover of staff, absenteeism and the impact on other workers. Sane Australia conducted research which showed that 95% of respondents believed that employers and managers need more education and training about how to manage the effects of mental illness in the workplace. This makes it easy to understand why Safe Work Australia released a National Guidance on Work-related Psychological Health and Safety on the 14th June this year.

Due to widespread historic use, asbestos roofing is now a major problem in some commercial buildings. Exposure to the elements over the years means it is more likely to have deteriorated than asbestos used elsewhere. The Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency has just released a new report that looks at current ways of containing and stabilising asbestos, particularly in roofing. The idea is to make the asbestos safer to remain in place or to help make it safer whilst it’s removed.

Whilst not compulsory, if you’re serious about a safe workplace and managing health and safety risks in a proactive manner, then the new ISO 45001 Standard released in March this year is well worth considering. It’s expected to become the primary reference for Health and Safety Management Systems worldwide. Attaining certification will demonstrate your company’s commitment to providing a healthy and safe workplace. It will also ensure that your company’s undertakings don’t negatively impact on other employees, worksites, the general public or visitors.

This is a summary of the five new Compliance Codes developed by WorkSafe Victoria and released in March 2018. It highlights the changes from previous compliance codes. Basically, with the exception of Hazardous Manual Handling, it seems to be “steady as she goes” with minor revisions and the continued support of audiometric testing and the use of personal noise dosimeters or personal noise exposure meters for noise exposure assessments. WorkSafe says that the new compliance codes have been updated to reflect the OHS Regulations 2017 and Equipment (Public Safety) Regulations 2017 as well as modern work practices.

The deadly Grenfell tower fire in London is a grim warning for Australia. In October, Four Corners revealed that Australian suppliers were aware of the risks associated with using polyethylene (PE) cladding on high-rise buildings, but they continued to import and sell it. Now the Victorian Cladding Taskforce has released an interim report with tough recommendations. Could your building be at risk?

WorkSafe Victoria recently added 22 new Inspectors whilst 3 new Inspectors have been added by WorkSafe in the ACT. The bottom line is that each State in Australia has a regulating body who manages compliance of the WHS/OHS laws and an Inspector could visit your workplace at any time. The question is, are you ready for them?

Technology is constantly evolving and plays an integral part in transforming the way we all work. It’s also being used for the successful management of health and safety in an organisation and there’s no doubt that it has reduced health and safety incidents. At JTA we are actively embracing technology to improve the way we conduct business as well as to improve the service we provide to our customers. Two projects have significantly changed the way we work and could be of interest and benefit to your business.

In the area of compliance, change is a fact of life and you can’t afford to take a breather. At the moment, there are two changes that you need to be aware of. The Australian Standard 1940 Storage and handling of flammable substances, the most comprehensive and frequently used of the dangerous goods storage and handling Standards has been under review and the new edition is due out very soon. Based on its growth over previous editions the new version should be about 1000 pages (joking!).

Whilst statistics show that the Australian annual work-related fatality rate is actually decreasing, this should not lull you into a false sense of security. Safety complacency still kills! What can you do to ensure you don’t join these statistics?