It is hard to associate a name like Mr Fluffy with something as sinister as asbestos. Mr Fluffy was the trading name of the company responsible for insulating over 1000 ACT homes with a highly friable form of crocidolite (blue) asbestos – the most toxic form of asbestos.

In a recent traffic incident a driver was accused of travelling at 140 km per hour through the Burnley Tunnel in heavy traffic. When informed of the alleged offence, the incredulous driver immediately questioned the calibration of the offending instrument. After a lengthy court case the driver was found not guilty, not due to calibration error, but due to measurement error, a prescient reminder of the importance of both calibration and measurement technique to those of us who drive instruments for a living.

In 1966 Paul Simon wrote "Slow down you move too fast, You..." How did he know that paying attention to the present moment allows us to connect to the world and the joy around us as well as giving us a break from our tiring thoughts? Basically, that caring for oneself does have physiological benefits.

Audiometric (hearing) testing shows that we still have some way to go to defeat 'noise induced hearing loss' which progressively steals the ability to communicate and, if noise exposure continues unabated, eventually socially isolates its victims. New evidence shows that the use of personal MP3 players has opened another front for the development of this serious affliction in younger people.

How badly did this year’s flu season impact upon productivity within your business/company? Figures show that 1 million working days are lost in Australia each year due to the flu and that 2,500 Australians die from the flu each year.

Reports of live music dying in Melbourne and moving to Sydney with the consequent loss of a Melbourne signature music scene came to a head in Brunswick last year where a local councillor intervened in a VCAT hearing to save an iconic local live music venue (The Melbourne Age, November 2013).

Having spent a bit of time working offshore as an OHS/WHS "ring in" on various vessels, including small and medium sized ships and various platforms and rigs it is my experience that TVs can be a toxic presence for people, like me, that do not know anyone on board particularly well.

A recent incident in the UK leading to a prosecution emphasizes the stark contrast between OHS/WHS "Haves" and "Have-Nots" – organisations that systematically and effectively manage and resource OHS/WHS and those that do not. Which one are you?

Happy employees help to make organisations more successful. The good news is that work can provide opportunities for many of the things that help to make people happy such as connecting with others; learning and growing skills; achieving goals and finding meaning. There are things we can all do to help make our workplaces happier and thus more productive.

OHS/WHS Regulations are complex and wide in scope encompassing asbestos, hazardous substances, noise, plant and high risk work. The regulations are supported by compliance codes, guidance notes and Australian Standards which provide specific direction on issues such as storage and handling of dangerous goods; design of ladders, platforms and walkways; electrical testing and tagging; and lighting and ventilation.