Workers exposed to noxious fumes

Sometimes I wonder  how health workers, workplaces and legislators feel when all the good work that  put in over the years  finally sees positive results, feel when it is so easily undone in the name of money.

The great bipartisan union of gambling and smoking look like having  a good win at Bangaroo.

In a triumph of retrospective hypocrisy a union has decided it's ok for their workers to be exposed to a substance that  is actually illegal to be released in any building in the country!

According to a newspaper article workers at the proposed Bangaroo Casino are to be exposed to the smoke of gamblers cigarettes (Some change to legislation is going to have to happen to allow the gamblers sorry, "high rollers" to smoke inside a building).

If a piece of equipment or plant emitted the same fumes the union would organsie a walkout and the WHS authorities issue a prohibition notice. A great precedent will be set if this goes ahead and the union will lose any moral authority it may have thought it had.

Congratulations all round. Dylan was right money doesn't talk it swears.

Making friends with your Risk Register

Risk Registers can be your friend.

Is the register not your friend because its needy - every month it cries out to be updated? Once updated it goes to sleep for another month.

The Risk Register is a great summary tool whether you're presenting to the board or just want to have a look at whole of risk status.

It is flexible in that different risk matrices can be included dependent on category.
If the risks are relatively low keep the risk matrix simple e.g High, Medium, Low. It isn't always necessary to follow the full blown risk management approach. Adjust it to a workable and meaningful tool.

The risk control columns provide the summary of all applied risk controls. If details are required refer to source documents (e.g Policy, Programs, Engineer Reports) they can even be linked.


More information required? Then add a column e.g cost.
Residual risk rating is able to be compared to inherent risk rating and judgements of the value or cost benefits can be made.

Build the register in excel and filtering tools help focus on a particular risk or any other analysis you may require.

Your register just wants some attention and then you'll have a friend for life.

Thinking you wont be caught?

Some interesting data from the Safe Work Australia Comparative Performance Monitoring Report (link below). Especially for workplaces who may be thinking there are only two chances of getting caught breaching the WHS Act.

A summary of the compliance and enforcement activities show that in 2010–11 there were:

•  79,290 proactive workplace visits around Australia
•  61,588 reactive workplace visits around Australia
•  11,01 field active inspectors employed around Australia
•  57, 611 notices were issued by Australian jurisdictions
•  397 legal proceedings against businesses were finalised, and
•  Australian courts handed out  $15.5 million in fines.

 For more details hit the link below. Other data includes:

• Progress against the National OHS Strategy
• WHS Performance including- Serious claims, Long term claims,  Fatalities
• Industry information - claims by industry, Premium rates by industry.

and more.


Safe Work Australia Comparative Performance Monitoring Report